THE  3ERMAN  DRAMA  IN  ENGLISH  ON 
THE  NEW  YORK  STAGE  TO  1830 


By 

LOUIS   CHARLES   BAKER,   A.M.,  Ph.D. 

SOMETIME  FELLOW  IN  GERMANICS  IN  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 
PROFESSOR  OF  GERMAN,  LAWRENCE  COLLEGE 


titted  in  Partial  Fulfilment  of  the  Requirements  for  the  Degree  of 
Doctor  of  Philosophy  in  the  Department  of  Philosophy 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 


Amsrtratui  (Sfcrmatttra 

NUMBER  31 


PUBLICATIONS   OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 
1917 


EXCHANGE 


PUBLICATIONS 

OF    THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


AMERICANA  GERMANIGA 

MONOGRAPHS  DEVOTED  TO  THE  COMPARATIVE 
STUDY  OF  THE 

Literary,  Linguistic  and  Other  Cultural  Relations 

OF 

Germany  and  America 


EDITOR 

MARION    DEXTER    LEARNED 

University  of  Pennsylvania 
(See  List  at  the  End  of  the  Book] 


THE  GERMAN  DRAMA  IN  ENGLISH  ON 
THE  NEW  YORK  STAGE  TO  1830 


By 

LOUIS    CHARLES    BAKER,    A.M.,  Ph.D. 

SOMETIME  FELLOW  IN  GERMANICS  IN  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 
PROFESSOR  OF  GERMAN,  LAWRENCE  COLLEGE 


Submitted  in  Partial  Fulfilment  of  the  Requirements  for  the  Degree  of 

Doctor  of  Philosophy  in  the  Department  of  Philosophy 

of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 


Ammratra  dfermattira 

NUMBER  31 


PUBLICATIONS   OF   THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 
1917 


COPYRIGHT  1917 

BY 

LOUIS  CHARLES  BAKER 


A/ 


AFFECTIONATELY  INSCRIBED 

TO 
MY  PARENTS 


CONTENTS 

Chapter                                                                                                              Page 
I.     The  New  York  Stage  Previous  to  the  Management  of  Wil 
liam  Dunlap    1 

II.     The  Management  of  Dunlap    11 

III.  From  1805  to  1823   62 

IV.  From   1823  to  1830   .  106 


THE  GERMAN  DRAMA  IN  ENGLISH 

ON  THE 

NEW  YORK  STAGE  TO  1  830 

BY 

Louis  CHARLES  BAKER, 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

CHAPTER  I. 

A  number  of  voluminous  works  have  been  written  on  the 
New  York  Stage,  of  which  the  three  most  important  are  Dunlap's 
"History  of  the  American  Stage"  (1832),  Ireland's  "Records 
of  the  New  York  Stage"  (2  vols.  1862),  and  the  latest,  T.  Allston 
Brown's  pretentious  work  in  three  volumes,  entitled,  "A  His 
tory  of  the  New  York  Stage  from  1732  to  1901."  The  second 
work  mentioned  proves  to  be  the  most  reliable  and  the  clearest  as 
a  source  of  information  —  while  the  last  is  a  disappointment  in 
every  respect. 

Although  the  history  of  the  New  York  stage  has  been 
worked  over  in  a  general  way  with  the  purpose  of  recording  the 
new  plays  produced,  as  well  as  preserving  the  names  and  roles  of 
famous  actors,  but  slight  mention,  if  any,  is  made  of  the  influ 
ence  exercised  by  the  German  drama  of  the  period.  When  one 
bears  in  mind  that  from  1796  to  1805  William  Dunlap,  trans 
lator  and  adaptor,  was  manager  of  the  New  York  Theatre,  a 
time  when  German  plays  dominated  not  only  the  American  stage 
but  the  English  as  well,  it  is  strange  that  the  historians  (Dunlap 
excepted)  should  pass  over  the  epoch  without  a  word  in  regard 
to  the  condition  of  affairs. 

The  beginnings  of  the  New  York  stage  date  back  to  I732.1 
Prior  to  that  date  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  any  trace  of  the- 


sketch  of  the  theatre  up  to  the  year  1796  has  been  largely  arranged 
with  the  aid  of  George  O.  Seilhamer's  excellent  work,  "History  of  the  Ameri 
can  Theatre,"  1889,  in  three  volumes.  All  material  subsequent  to  1796  has  been 


2        German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

atricals,  either  public  or  private.  In  1732,  however,  a  company 
of  actors  arrived  from  London  and  fitted  up  a  large  room  in  a 
building  near  the  junction  of  Pearl  Street  and  Maiden  Lane, 
with  a  platform  stage.  Plays  were  given  at  intervals  until  the 
end  of  1734;  later,  concerts  were  held  here.  Among  the  several 
are  Cato,  The  Recruiting  Officer,  The  Beaux  Stratagem, 
plays  mentioned  in  issues  of  Bradford's  Gazette  in  1734.  Per 
formances  are  recorded  in  the  newspaper  files  of  1739,  1743  and 
a  season  of  eight  months  in  1749. 

March  5,  1750,  Messrs.  Kean  and  Murray  appeared  in  the 
Nassau  Street  Theatre  in  Richard  III.  The  season  lasted  five 
months  with  two  performances  each  week.  The  repertoire  in 
cluded  such  plays  as  The  Spanish  Friar,  The  Orphan,  The 
Recruiting  Officer,  Cato,  and  The  Mock  Doctor.  Murray's 
company  was  acquired  by  Robert  Upton,  business  agent  for  Wil 
liam  Hallam,  who  gave  up  the  enterprise  after  he  had  spent  all 
the  money  entrusted  to  him  by  the  latter.  W.  Hallam  dismissed 
the  thought  of  coming  to  the  New  World  after  the  failure  to 
organize  a  company  in  America,  yet  his  brother  Lewis,  persuaded 
by  London  merchants  and  "several  Virginia  captains",  set  sail  on 
the  ship  "Charming  Sally"  in  May,  1752,  and  after  a  long  and 
tedious  voyage  landed  in  Virginia  in  June.  There  he  and  his 
company  remained,  giving  performances  in  Williamsburg  until 
June,  I753-2  He  then  started  northward,  playing  at  Annapolis 
in  July  at  the  New  Theatre,  and  continued  on  his  way  to  New 
York,  where  he  arrived  in  August.  Here  he  met  with  unlooked- 
for  obstacles — the  magistrates  refused  to  grant  him  permission  to 
perform,  and  not  until  he  published  a  full  statement  of  his  situa 
tion  and  an  appeal  to  the  public,  was  the  desired  license  forthcom 
ing.  They  remained  at  the  second  Nassau  Theatre,  which  they 
kept  open  from  September  17,  1753,  until  March  25,  I754.3 

gathered  from  newspaper  and  magazine  files  in  the  various  libraries  in  New 
York  City. 

'For  details  see  Dunlap  (1832),  p.  3ff. 

*  Brown,  Vol.  I,  5,  Ireland  I,  5,  and  Seilhamer  give  March  18  but  cf.  the 
New  York  Gazette,  March  25,  1754:  "The  Gamester,  a  Tragedy,  is  this  night 
to  be  presented  at  the  Theatre  in  Nassau  Street,  with  a  new  Harlequin  Enter 
tainment;  for  the  last  time  performing  in  this  town.  Characters  as  per  bill 
for  the  day.  Tickets  to  be  had  at  the  usual  places." 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830        3 

Hallam  then  played  in  Philadelphia  ;4  from  that  city  he  took 
his  company  to  the  West  Indies,  where  he  himself  died.  His 
widow  married  David  Douglas,  who  returned  soon  to  New  York 
and  attempted  to  open  a  theatre  on  Cruger's  Wharf.  Again  the 
city  fathers  refused  to  sanction  the  undertaking.  After  Doug 
las  had  made  amends  for  his  rashness  in  building  the  playhouse 
without  first  consulting  the  proper  authorities,  he  finally  was  per 
mitted  to  perform  for  thirteen  nights.  The  next  three  years 
were  spent  in  touring  the  country  from  Williamsburg,  Va.,  to 
Newport,  R.  I.  Upon  his  return  to  New  York,  having  first  been 
granted  permission,  he  opened  a  theatre  in  Beekman  Street  near 
Nassau  Street.  After  a  brief  season  (November  19,  1761,  to 
April  26,  1762)  the  Douglas  company  set  out  on  their  tours, 
leaving  the  new  playhouse  vacant.  During  the  Stamp  Act 
troubles  in  1764  the  building  was  nearly  demolished  by  the  mob. 

With  the  erection  of  the  John  Street  Theatre  (1767)  we 
have  a  fairly  permanent  "home  for  the  Muses".  Interruptions 
occur,  but  the  same  building  serves  as  a  playhouse  until  1798. 
Since  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  paper  to  treat  in  detail  the  var 
ious  seasons  before  the  appearance  of  the  German  drama  in  Eng 
lish  translation,  only  a  brief  summary  is  here  presented. 

Hallam  and  Henry's  company  opened  the  John  Street 
Theatre  with  The  Beaux  Stratagem;  performances  were  con 
tinued  until  June  2,  1768,  fifty  in  all,  representing  plays  from 
Shakespeare,  Otway,  Cumberland  and  Lillo. 

The  second  season  of  the  John  Street  Theatre  was  much 
shorter,  covering  a  period  from  January  16,  1769,  to  June  29, 
1769,  with  twenty-seven  performances.  The  company  then  left 
New  York  to  give  a  series  of  performances  in  Albany,  Philadel 
phia  and  Annapolis,  which  kept  them  occupied  until  1773.  In 
April  of  that  year  the  theatre  was  reopened  by  the  American  com 
pany,  which  played  until  August  5,  1773.  From  this  date  until 
1783  the  players  who  had  been  acting  in  the  colonies  withdrew 
to  the  West  Indies,  because  an  Act  of  the  Provincial  Congress 


4  Brede :    "The  German    Drama    on    the    Philadelphia    Stage,"  GERMAN 
AMERICAN  ANNALS  (N.  S.),  Vol.  II  (1913)- 


4        German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

October  24,  1774,  suspended  all  public  amusements  during  the 
time  of  national  distress;  then,  too,  an  English  company  with 
English  plays  of  the  hour  would  hardly  have  been  popular  with 
the  "rebels".  From  August  6,  1773,  until  the  capture  of  New 
York  by  the  British,  the  theatre  remained  closed.  As  a  means 
of  relief  from  the  tedium  of  enforced  idleness,  amateur  theatri 
cals  began  January  25,  1777 — eighteen  performances  were  given 
—the  theatre  closing  May  29,  1777.  When  Clinton  came  to  New 
York  at  the  end  of  that  same  year,  the  social  life  reawakened. 
Lavish  entertainments,  balls,  dinners,  and  many  extravagances 
characterized  the  period.  The  theatre  was  a  necessity.  January 
6,  1778,  performances  began — not  exceeding  five  in  any  month. 
The  second  season  (January  29,  1779 — June  19,  1779)  is  es 
pecially  noted,  because  the  brilliant  young  Major  Andre  took  an 
active  part  in  the  stage  productions. 

The  military  Thespians  gave  such  current  English  plays  as 
Douglas,  The  Fair  Penitent,  Cumberland's  West  Indian? 
Othello  and  others.  They  continued  to  entertain  the  public 
until  1782;  their  seasons  usually  began  in  December  or  January 
and  lasted  until  June,  with  an  average  of  four  or  five  plays  a 
month.  In  1782,  however,  only  eight  performances  were  given. 

Although  Congress  had  done  everything  in  its  power  to  dis 
courage  theatricals,  not  only  by  the  resolution  of  1774,  but  by 
two  others  in  1778,  recommending  that  the  "State  pass  laws  to 
prevent  theatrical  entertainments,  horse-racing,  and  such  other 
diversions  as  are  productive  of  idleness",  the  place  of  the  military 
players  was  taken  by  a  company  under  the  management  of  Den 
nis  Ryan  in  1783.  The  short  season  (June  19,  1783,  to  August 
1 6,  1783)  is  termed  by  Seilhamer  "the  lost  chapter  in  dramatic 
history",6  because  neither  Dunlap  nor  Ireland  make  any  mention 
of  it.  The  British  troops  still  supported  the  enterprise. 

Meanwhile  the  old  American  company  had  been  playing  in 
Jamaica.  Perhaps  owing  to  the  unsettled  condition  of  affairs  in 

8  West  Indian:  January  15,  22,  1778;  December  31,  1779;  January  20,  31, 
rsovember  3,  1780;  May  7,  1781.  This  play  is  noted  because  later  Kotzebue 
translated  it  into  German:  "Der  Westindier:  ein  Lustspiel  in  5  Aufz.  v.  Cum 
berland.  Aufs  neue  fur  die  deutsche  Biihne  bearbeitet.  Leipzig,  1815." 

"  Cf.  Seilhamer  2,  96. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830        5 

the  States  and  the  prejudice  against  the  theatre,  Hallam  and 
Henry  did  not  return  immediately  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty 
of  peace.  With  the  exception  of  a  business  visit  by  Hallam  from 
May  to  September,  1782,  when  he  incidentally  gave  a  number  of 
entertainments,  readings,  etc.,  no  members  of  the  American  com 
pany  appear  in  New  York  before  1785.  On  August  n  of  that 
year  Hallam  and  Henry,  with  a  rather  feeble  troupe,  began  a 
series  of  so-called  "lectures"  at  the  John  Street  Theatre.  The 
public  attitude  toward  the  theatre  was  so  unfavorable  that  plays 
were  announced  under  misleading  titles.  These  were  never 
quite  as  ridiculous  as  the  announcements  of  the  Philadelphia  per 
formances,  nor  did  they  continue  for  any  length  of  time.  Soon 
Hallam  gave  boldly  the  titles  of  his  plays  and  farces. 

The  union  of  Henry's  old  American  company  with  Hallam 
is  of  great  importance  in  the  history  of  the  American  theatre. 
The  seven  years  ending  with  1792  represent  a  period  of  almost 
absolute  monopoly  in  the  amusement  field.  This  combination 
controlled  the  theatres  from  New  York  to  Annapolis.  The  im 
portant  members  of  the  troupe  were  Mrs.  Morris,  Mr.  Wignell 
(afterward  connected  with  the  Philadelphia  stage7)  Mr.  Harper, 
Mrs.  Harper,  Mr.  Biddle,  Miss  Tuke,  Mr.  Hallam  and  Mr. 
Henry. 

The  season  of  1787  (thirty-six  performances)  saw  The 
West  Indian  twice;  February  16  and  April  23,  1787;  in  the 
next  season  it  was  repeated  January  30,  1788,  and  The  East  In 
dian  performed  May  31,  1788. 

Among  the  fifty  performances  from  April  4,  1789,  The 
West  Indian  figures  once,  June  i,  while  Gustamts  Vasa,  a 
patriotic  drama,  generally  reserved  for  such  occasions  as  Wash 
ington's  Birthday  or  Independence  Day,  was  given  October  26. 
This  play  is  by  Brooke8  and  perhaps  bears  no  relation  to  a  later 
play  of  Kotzebue  by  the  same  title,  for  Brooke's  production  is  of 
a  very  much  earlier  date.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  appear- 


1  Cf.  Brede :  "History  of  the  German  Drama  in  English  on  the  Philadel 
phia  Stage,"  pp.  8  and  9,  GERMAN  AMERICAN  ANNALS  (N.  S.),  Vol.  II. 

'There  is  also  a  drama  in  Swedish:  Gustav  Vasa  (1783)  by  King  Gustav 
III  of  Sweden. 


6        German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

ance  of  patriotic  themes  which  five  or  six  years  later  are  much  in 
demand. 

The  John  Street  Theatre  remained  closed  for  nearly  two 
years  while  the  company  played  in  Philadelphia,  Annapolis  and 
Baltimore.  The  best  actors  did  not  return  with  Hallam  to  New 
York  in  1791.  However,  a  greater  number  of  performances  was 
given  this  year  than  during  any  previous  season.  The  West 
Indian  is  announced  for  October  19,  1791,  and  February  10, 
1792. 

After  a  short  season  in  Philadelphia,  the  old  American  com 
pany  disbanded,  the  co-operative  plan  was  abandoned  and  the 
actors  sought  new  fields  of  activity — some  in  Boston  or  in  Phila 
delphia,  while  others  remained  to  form  a  part  of  the  new  organi 
zation,  which  retained  the  old  name.  A  single  company  no  longer 
dominated  the  American  boards — fresh  talent  was  brought  from 
England  and  for  the  first  time  famous  actors  came  to  the  new 
Republic.  With  recruits  from  Bath,  Henry  began  his  work  in 
Philadelphia.  On  the  fourteenth  of  January,  1793,  the  reorgan 
ized  company  appeared  at  the  John  Street  Theatre.  Mr.  Hodg- 
kinson,  afterwards  a  favorite  with  American  audiences,  made  his 
debut  in  Reynolds'  Dramatist.  With  his  coming  the  intrigues 
and  quarrels  began  which  finally  drove  both  Mr.  Henry  and 
Mrs.  Henry  from  the  New  York  stage  in  1794. 

The  long  season  of  1793-94  (November  n,  1793,  to  June  28, 
1794)  brings  some  plays  of  interest — Barbarossa,9  with  its 
scene  in  Algiers,  but  no  German  influence  apparent  except  the 
suggestive  title.  It  was  given  December  28,  1793,  January  3, 
March  19  and  June  28,  1794. 

The  first  drama  of  real  importance  for  this  paper  is  The 
Patriot,  or  Liberty  Asserted.  The  interest  in  the  French 
Revolution  and  the  spirit  of  the  times  are  reflected  without 
doubt  in  the  popular  demand  for  plays  dealing  with  the  theme  of 
freedom.  The  Patriot  was  first  performed  in  New  York  June 

9  Barbarossa  is  the  Christian  name  for  Khizr,  one  of  a  family  of  Turkish 
sea  rovers  of  the  sixteenth  century.  He  gained  entrance  into  Algiers  and  by 
treachery  placed  himself  on  the  throne.  The  drama  plays  seven  years  after 
the  capture  of  Algiers. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830        7 

5,  1794.     The  following  announcement  appears  in  the  Tuesday, 
June  3,  issue  of  the  New  York  Daily  Advertiser: 
"MR.  PRIGMORE'S  NIGHT. 

'THEATRE. 
"By  the  Old  American  Company. 

"On  Wednesday  will  be  presented  a  play  interspersed  with 
songs,  in  three  Acts,  never  acted  here,  and  for  that  night  only, 
called  The  Patriot,  or  Liberty  Asserted.  The  piece  is  founded 
on  the  well-known  story  of  William  Tell,  the  Swiss  patriot,  who 
shot  an  apple  from  his  son's  head,  at  the  command  of  the  tyrant 
Grislor  (sic!)  which  first  gave  liberty  to  the  Cantons  of  Switz 
erland. 

"In  Act  ist.    The  Hall  and  Statue  of  Liberty. 

"In  Act  Illrd.  A  display  of  Archery  for  the  questionable 
prize  of  freedom. 

"The  Songs  and  Ouverture  by  Mr.  Hewit." 

The  play  was  not  given  on  Wednesday,  June  4,  as  adver 
tised,  but  was  postponed  to  Thursday  night,  June  5.  The  first 
cast  shows  the  following  names : 

William  Tell,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Melchdale,  Mr.  Prigmore. 

Edwald,  Mr.  King. 

Grisler,  Mr.  Richards. 

Werner,  Mr.   Hallam. 

Lieutenant,  Mr.  Martin. 

Provost,  Mr.  Ashton. 

Bowman,  Mr.  West. 

Serena,  Mrs.  Wilson. 

Lucella,  Mrs.   Kenna. 

Marina,  Mrs.   Melmoth. 

The  last  performance  of  the  season  was  a  representation  of 
Barbarossa,™  June  28. 


19  Since  Barbarossa  does  not  deal  with  a  German  subject,  I  shall  not 
consider  it  hereafter  in  this  paper.  For  the  same  reason  O'Keefe's  Love  in  a 
Camp,  or  Patrick  in  Prussia  has  not  been  mentioned. 


8        German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

In  the  next  season  the  first  translation  from  the  German  is 
brought  out:  Schiller's  Rduber.  The  play  was  performed 
April  14,  1795,  for  the  benefit  of  Mr.  Marriot.  The  cast  has  not 
been  preserved,  nor  have  we  any  detailed  critique — all  we  know 
is  that  the  performers  "were  not  equal  to  the  parts"  (Dunlap). 
Another  play,  The  Purse,11  by  Cross,  was  given  for  the  first 
time  March  2,  1795. 

The  season  of  1796  (February  10,  1796,  to  June  25,  1796) 
shows  an  increase  in  the  sentiment  for  freedom,  with  two  dramas 
dealing  with  distinctly  German  subjects:  Cumberland's  Wheel 
of  Fortune  and  Dunlap's  Archers.  Concerning  the  first  play 
(New  York  performance  March  4,  1796)  Mrs.  Inchbald  in  her 
preface12  says:  "Never  was  there  one  play  taken  from  another 
with  such  ingenuity,  such  nice  art,  and  so  little  injury  to  either, 
as  this  play  has  been  taken  from  the  German  Misanthropy  and 
Repentance,  leaving  still  the  German  to  be  translated  into  Eng 
lish  by  the  title  of  The  Stranger.  It  is  said  Mr.  Cumberland 
merely  saw  a  critique  of  Kotzebue's  drama  in  a  review,  some 
years  before  it  appeared  upon  the  London  stage ;  and  from  thence 
collected  substance  for  this  most  interesting  play.  But  whether 
he  had  in  his  possession  the  German  production  or  not,  it  is  cer 
tain  he  is  no  farther  indebted  to  the  foreign  author  than  for  a 
faint  glimmering  of  plot,  incident  and  character;  to  which  he  has 
added  his  own  original  sunshine.  A  reader  may  peruse  the  two 
plays  in  one  evening  and  yet  be  highly  delighted  with  both — they 


11  The  Purse  is  in  a  review  in  the  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette  of  July  24,  1824, 
said  to  be  founded  on  the  story  of  the  Page  and  Frederick  the  Great.     The 
whole  play  is  in  an  English  setting  and  concerns  sailors  not  pages.     During 
the  war  with  Tripoli  and  the  War  of  1812  the  play  was   frequently  given 
with  the  subtitle  The  American  Tar.   The  cast  has  the  following  characters : 
Will  Steady,  the  Tar,  Theodore,  page  to  the  Baron,  the  Baron,  and  Edmund, 
his  son.    The  reviewer's  statement  that  "the  plot  of  The  Purse  is  said  to  be 
taken  from  an  incident  which  transpired  between  Frederick  the  Great  and  his 
favorite  page"  was  probably  prompted  by  the  lively  interest  at  that  time  in 
the  career  of  the  famous  King.  / 1  doubt  whether  any  remote  influence  could 
be  found  and  hence  have  omitted  the  play  from  my  statistics. 

12  The  British  Theatre,  or  A  Collection  of  Plays,  which  are  acted  at  the 
Theatres  Royal,  Drury  Lane,  Covent  Garden,  and  Haymarket — printed  under 
the  authority  of  the  Managers  from  the  Prompt  Books.    With  Biography  and 
critical   remarks  by  Mrs.   Inchbald.     In  twenty-five  volumes.     Cumberland's 
Wheel  of  Fortune,  Vol.  18,  No.  5. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830        9 

are  performed  on  succeeding  nights,  yet  auditors  go  successively 
to  the  theatre;  and  certain  spectators  do  not  ever  find  a  resem 
blance  between  them." 

Much  more  clearly,  however,  can  the  interest  in  German  sub 
jects  be  seen  in  William  Dunlap's  opera  The  Archers,  based 
on  the  story  of  William  Tell.  In  his  "History  of  the  American 
Stage"  he  says  :13  "The  story  of  William  Tell  and  the  struggle 
for  Helvetic  liberty  was  at  this  time  moulded  into  dramatic  form 
by  the  author  of  the  'Father  of  An  Only  Child'  (Dunlap)  and 
with  songs  and  choruses,  etc.,  was  called  an  opera.  The  subject 
was  suggested  to  the  author  by  an  English  play,  recently  pub 
lished,  which  was  utterly  unfit,  and  perhaps  not  intended  for  the 
stage.  ('Helvetic  Liberty,  or  The  Lass  of  the  Lakes'.)  .  .  . 
On  the  eighteenth  of  April,  1796,  the  opera  of  The  Archers  was 
performed  for  the  first  time  and  received  with  great  applause. 
The  music  by  Carr  was  pleasing  and  well  got  up.  Hodgkinson 
and  Mrs.  Melmoth  were  forcible  in  Tell  and  wife;  the  comic  parts 
told  well  with  Hallam  and  Mrs.  Hodgkinson,  although  Conrad 
ought  to  have  been  given  to  Jefferson.  The  piece  was  repeatedly 
played  and  printed  immediately."14  Here  we  find  Dunlap  show 
ing  the  partiality  for  his  own  plays,  for  which  Seilhamer  so 
severely  criticises  him.  It  can  hardly  be  said  that  The  Archers 
was  given  "repeatedly",  in  fact,  during  the  next  few  years  it  did 
not  appear  even  once. 


u  Dunlap,  p.  147. 

14  Dunlap,  pp.  147-8.  A  copy  of  "The  Archers  is  in  the  Clothier  Collection 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Library.  The  title-page  and  preface  are 
given  because  of  the  interesting  material  which  they  contain. 

The 
Archers 

or 

Mountaineers  of  Switzerland; 

An  Opera  in  three  Acts  /  as  performed  by  /  the  Old  American  Company  in 
New  York.  To  which  is  subjoined  /  A  Brief  /  Historical  Account  /  of  / 
Switzerland,  /  from  the  Dissolution  of  the  Roman  Empire  /  to  the  final  estab 
lishment  /  of  the  Helvetic  Confederacy,  /  by  the  /  Battle  of  Sempach.  / 
N.  Y.  /  Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  /  1796. 

Preface. 

In  the  summer  of  1794,  a  dramatic  performance,  published  in  London  was 
left  with  me  called  Helvetic  Liberty.  I  was  requested  to  adapt  it  to  our 
stage.  After  several  perusals  I  gave  it  up  as  incorrigible;  but,  pleased  with 


io      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  complete  cast15  of  the  first  performance  was  as  fol 
lows: 

William  Tell,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Walter  Furst,  Mr.  Johnson. 

Arnold  Melchthal,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Werner  Staffach,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Gesle,  Mr.  Cleveland. 

Burgomaster,  Mr.  Prigmore. 

Lieutenant,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Leopold,  Mr.  King. 

Bowmen  of  Uri,  Mr.  Lee,  Munto  and  Wools. 

Pikemen  of  Schweitz,Mr.  Francisquy,  Val  and  Durang. 

Burghers,  Mr.  Tompkins,  Des  Moulins,  etc. 

Austrian  Soldiers,  Mr.  Leonard,  McKnight,  etc. 

Conrad,  Mr.  Hallam. 

Portia,  Mrs.  Melmoth. 

Rhodolpho,  Miss  Broadhurst. 

Female  Archers,  Miss  Brett,  Mrs.  Tompkins,  Val,  Durang, 

Gardie. 

Cicely,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

This  play  is  nearly  a  decade  before  Schiller's  Tell;  it  is 
interesting  to  note  the  great  number  of  characters  common  to  both 
dramas. 

At  this  time  the  company  was  torn  with  dissension ;  Hallam 
and  Hodgkinson,  rivals  for  the  public  favor,  were  on  extremely 


the  subject,  I  recurred  to  History  of  Switzerland  and  composed  the  Piece  now 
presented  to  the  Public. 

Any  Person  who  has  the  curiosity  to  compare  the  two  pieces,  will  observe 
that  1  have  adopted  3  of  the  imaginary  characters  from  Helvetic  Liberty — 
the  Burgomaster,  Lieutenant,  and  Rhpdolpha:  I  believe  they  are,  however, 
strictly  my  own.  The  other  similarities  are  the  necessary  consequences  of 
being  both  founded  on  the  same  historic  fact.  .  .  .  The  principal  liberty 
taken  with  the  history  is,  that  I  have  concentrated  some  of  the  actions  of 
these  heroic  mountaineers ;  making  time  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  drama. 
.  .  .  Tell,  Furst,  Melchthal,  Staffach,  and  Winkelried  are  not  the  children 
of  poetic  fiction. 

In  the  historical  account  subjoined,  actions  are  referred  to  their  proper 
dates ;  and  the  best  information  given  of  this  early  period  of  Helvetic  history 
that  I  could  recollect." 

(The  historical  sketch  from  pages  81  to  94  is  based  on  Coxe's  "Switzer 
land".) 

"Taken  from  the  American  Observer  and  Evening  Advertiser,  April  18, 
1796. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      1 1 

bad  terms  with  each  other.  Gradually  Hodgkinson  had  forced 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hallam  out  of  principal  roles,  which  he  and  his 
wife  now  usurped — the  minor  parts  being  relegated  to  the  Hal- 
lams.  Dunlap  attempted  to  play  the  mediator — a  task  which 
proved  disagreeable  and  unavailing.  Finally  Hallam  withdrew 
and  Dunlap  took  over  the  management  of  the  theatre. 

However,  before  we  discuss  the  importance  of  this  event,  we 
must  mention  another  play  which  reflects  the  growing  influence 
of  German  literature — the  dramatization  of  Goethe's  Werther 
under  the  title  of  Werther  and  Charlotte.  This  play  by  F.  Rey 
nolds  was  not  new  to  English  audiences,  for  in  November,  1785, 
it  had  been  given  at  Covent  Garden  and  was  revived  each  succeed 
ing  year.  The  announcement  for  the  New  York  premiere  reads 
as  follows:  "On  Monday,  May  9,  will  be  performed  a  cele 
brated  Tragedy  in  3  Acts,  never  performed  here — called  Werter 
and  Charlotte."16 

Werter,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Sebastian,  Mr.  Cleveland. 

Leuthrop,  Mr.  Johnson. 

Albert,  Mr.  Hallam. 

Laura,  Mrs.  Munto. 

Charlotte,  Mrs.  Johnson. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Dunlap's  term  of  management  is  extremely  important  be 
cause  he  became  such  a  great  force  in  the  introduction  of  the  Ger 
man  drama  upon  the  American  stage.  His  efforts  may  in  a  mea 
sure  have  been  due  to  "vanity  and  friendship",  as  Seilhamer  puts 
it,17  yet  one  who  reads  his  own  account  of  the  difficulties  and 
hardships  which  he  met  and  overcame  or  rather  tried  to  over 
come,  cannot  but  respect  and  admire  his  endeavor  to  improve  the 


10 The  Minerva  (N.  Y.),  May  7,  1796. 
17  Seilhamer,  III,  387. 


12      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

stage  and  make  it  an  institution  through  which  humanity  might 
be  inspired  to  nobler  purposes  in  life.  He  realized  his  failure  to 
carry  out  his  ideal,  when  in  a  short  sketch  of  his  life  he  begins : 
"The  opinion  of  the  writer  is  (an  opinion  perhaps  founded  upon 
the  result  of  the  experiment)  that  he  was  not  fitted  for  the  ardu 
ous  task,"  namely,  the  arduous  task  of  directing  that  powerful 
and  complicated  engine,  the  theatre  of  a  great  metropolis. 

William  Dunlap  was  born  in  the  city  of  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J., 
in  February,  1766.  As  an  only  son  he  was  treated  with  indul 
gence  by  his  father.  He  was  carefully  reared  and  associated, 
when  still  very  young,  with  a  venerable  man,  Peter  Bartow  by 
name,  who  used  to  read  to  him.  In  his  autobiography  he  tells 
us:  "Before  I  could  read,  Pope's  'Iliad',  Dryden's  'Vergil'  and 
Milton's  'Paradise  Lost'  were  familiar  to  me  as  to  fable  and  to 
incident,  and  every  plate  was  patiently  explained  and  the  pas 
sages  read  and  repeated. " 

The  boy  was  not  strong  and  was  carefully  guarded  during 
the  period  of  the  Revolution,  which  left  a  vivid  impression  on  his 
mind.  From  1777  to  1783  the  family  resided  in  New  York, 
where  William  began  drawing  and  where  his  interest  in  the 
theatre  was  aroused.  The  father  determined  to  make  an  artist 
of  his  son,  and  with  this  purpose  William  set  sail,  May  4,  1784, 
for  England  with  letters  to  Benjamin  West.  After  nearly  four 
years  spent  in  England,  he  returned  to  America  in  1788.  A  num 
ber  of  his  own  dramas  had  been  offered  for  the  stage — The 
Father  and  The  Archers.  After  the  production  of  the  latter 
piece,  Dunlap's  intimate  relations  with  the  New  York  stage  be 
gan.  At  first  he  and  Hodgkinson  form  a  partnership ;  two  years 
later  (1798)  he  becomes  sole  manager.18 

The  season  1796-97  began  September  26,  1796,  and  ended 
June  1 6,  1797.  It  brought  more  performances  (109)  than  any 
previous  one.  Cumberland's  Wheel  of  Fortune  was  given  No 
vember  21,  1796,  also  March  8,  1797;  Werter  and  Charlotte 
March  22,  1797.  The  premiere  of  Cobb's  opera,  The  Siege  of 


u  For  details  see  Dunlap,  "History  of  the  American  Stage,"  p.  232*?.  For 
Dunlap's  importance  in  early  German-American  relations  see  F.  Wilkens : 
"Early  German  Influence  in  America.  Americana  Germanica,  III,  ii2ff. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  16*50      13 

Belgrade,  took  place  December  30,  1796.  The  cast  shows  Ger 
man  names — the  so-called  Austrian  element  in  the  play — but  as 
yet  I  have  been  unable  to  trace  it  from  any  German  original.  The 
characters  are  as  follows :  Count  Cohenburg,  Leopold,  Peter, 
Upseph,  Ishmael,  Anselm,  Michael,  Seraskin,  Lilla,  Ghitta,  Fatima 
and  Catherine.  The  piece  became  popular  and  was  repeated  Janu 
ary  4,  u,  18,  27,  February  17,  March  6,  27,  and  May  17,  1797. 

In  March,  Wignell  and  Reimagle  opened  a  theatre  in  Green 
wich  Street,  since  no  performances  could  be  given  in  Philadelphia 
on  account  of  the  yellow  fever.  The  acting  of  his  excellent  com 
pany  attracted  much  attention.  The  thirty-seven  performances 
from  March  2  to  June  29  have  not,  to  my  knowledge,  received 
proper  mention  anywhere.  Here  for  the  first  time  in  New  York 
Cobb's  Doctor  and  Apothecary  (London,  1788),  with  music 
by  Storace,  was  performed.  The  origin  of  this  piece  has  been 
dark.  It  is  cleared  up,  I  believe,  by  the  explanation  that  Storace, 
an  Italian  born  in  England,  had  spent  a  number  of  years  in 
Vienna  and  had  come  in  contact  with  the  violinist  and  composer, 
Dittersdorf.  Without  doubt  The  Doctor  and  the  Apothecary  is 
on  adaptation  or  possibly  a  translation  of  Dittersdorf's  successful 
comic  opera,  Der  Doktor  und  der  Apotheker.19  The  characters 
are :  Thomaso,  Strumwald,  Carlos,  Juan,  Guzman,  Dr.  Bilioso, 
Perez,  Anna,  Isabella  and  Theresa. 

Zorinski,  or  The  Freedom  of  the  Slavs,  by  Morton,  a 
drama  dealing  with  the  abduction  of  Stanislaus,  King  of  Poland, 
is  interesting  as  an  index  of  popular  taste.  Mystery  pieces  and 
tales  of  horror,  such  as  The  Count  of  Narbonne,  Castle  Spectre 
and  The  Italian  Monk,  appear.  The  only  German  drama  given 
by  the  Wignell  company  was  The  Robbers,  "translated  from 
the  German  of  Schiller.  In  the  fifth  act  a  representation  of  the 
Castle  besieged." 

The  John  Street  Theatre  was  reopened  by  "Mr.  Solee  and  a 
company  of  comedians  of  the  City  Theatre,  Charleston,  S.  C." 


"C/.    Dictionary    of    National    Biography    under    Cobb    and    Stephen 
Storace;  also  Allgemeine  Deutsche  Biographic  under  Dittersdorf. 


14      German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830 

This  company  was  ostensibly  composed  of  Boston  and  Charles 
ton  players  on  their  way  to  Philadelphia.  The  fever  was  raging 
in  that  city,  hence  the  stay  of  the  Charleston  company  in  New 
York  until  October  I7.20  Wignell  and  Reinagle  remained  until 
November  27 ;  for  a  time  then  the  two  theatres  exist  side  by  side, 
sometimes  advertising  the  same  play  for  the  same  evening.  The 
drama,  Columbus,  or  A  World  Discovered,  was  announced  for 
September  15  at  both  theatres,  but,  as  usual,  the  John  Street  play 
ers  had  to  postpone  their  performance.  I  mention  this  play  be 
cause  the  story  of  Cora  and  Alonzo  from  Marmontel's  novel, 
"Les  Incas"  is  introduced  and  elaborate  stage  effects  are  at 
tempted.  Kotzebue  later  dramatized  the  episode  under  the  name 
Die  Sonnenjungfrau,  known  on  the  American  stage  as  The 
Virgin  of  the  Sun.21  In  later  announcements  we  see  that  the 
scenery  used  for  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  was  also  employed  in 
the  production  of  Columbus.  "Wignell,  finding  that  fire  and 
smoke  pleased  the  public,  determined  to  give  them  a  volcano. 
Morton's  Columbus  was  got  up  with  all  the  taste,  splendor 
and  skill  of  such  a  manager,  such  a  company  and  such  a  painter 
as  Holland  combined."2  September  16  the  play  was  repeated, 
September  18  given  for  the  third  time,  and  on  October  20  it  was 
presented  at  the  John  Street  Theatre. 

The  old  American  company  with  Hodgkinson  had  returned 
from  Boston  and  began  their  regular  season  at  the  John  Street 
Theatre  December  n,  1797,  according  to  the  Commercial  Adver 
tiser.  At  the  beginning  of  the  season  four  performances  were 
given  in  the  week,  Monday,  Wednesday,  Friday  and  Saturday 
nights.  The  company  had  hoped  to  play  in  the  New  Theatre,  bet 
ter  known  as  The  Park,  which  was  being  built,  but  delays  in  the 


20Dunlap,  p.   192,   gives   October  3,   which   is   contradicted   by  the   daily 
papers.    The  last  night  is  announced  as  October  17. 

The  Cora  and  Alonzo  theme  was  very  much  in  favor;  an  opera  Cora 
och  Alonzo  by  a  Swede,  Adlerbreth  Gudmund  Coran  (1751-1818),  was  ex 
tremely  popular.  Its  date  was  1782.  A  German  opera  text  by  Babo  appeared 
in  1788.  Whether  Columbus  or  Die  Sonnenjungfrau  owe  anything  to  these 
texts,  I  have  not  been  able  to  determine. 

23  Dunlap,  p.  iQ2ff. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Ne^v  York  Stage  to  1830      1 5 

finishing  of  the  interior  precluded  this,  and  not  until  January  29, 
1798,  could  the  house  be  opened.  Dunlap  23  gives  a  full  account 
of  the  difficulties  with  the  proprietors  and  actors.  June  29,  1798, 
the  season  closed.  At  this  time  William  Dunlap  became  sole 
manager  of  the  New  York  Theatre. 

The  season  of  1798  opened  under  unfavorable  circum 
stances.  During  the  summer  the  yellow  fever  had  desolated  the 
city — New  York  was  a  city  of  mourning — and  the  theatre  was 
still  in  an  unfinished  condition.  A  number  of  the  actors  were 
ill  and  the  winter  was  fast  advancing.  On  December  3  the 
theatre  was  opened,  but  the  attendance  and  the  receipts  were  dis 
couraging.  Something  must  be  done  and  that  quickly.  The 
saviour  of  Dunlap's  New  York  stage  was  none  other  than  Kotze- 
bue.  From  now  on  we  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  almost  con 
stantly  to  this  much  decried  author,  who  was  then  the  leading 
playwright  of  Europe.  Dunlap's  management  marks  the  period 
of  greatest  influence  of  this  German  author. 

The  Stranger  (Menschenhass  und  Reue)  was  first  pro 
duced  on  the  New  York  boards  December  10,  1798 — for  years  it 
was  a  drawing  bill — all  the  great  actors  played  the  role  of  the 
Stranger,  even  as  late  as  1860.  Dunlap's  own  account  follows: 
"The  fame  of  The  Stranger,  then  playing  in  London,  had 
reached  New  York ;  and  after  his  return  to  the  city,  having  got 
possession  of  a  wretched  publication,  in  which  the  plot  and  part 
of  the  dialogue  of  Kotzebue's  play  were  given  (Sheridan's  trans 
lation?)  in  a  language  neither  German  nor  English,  he  (Dunlap) 
wrote  a  play  founded  on  these  materials;  and  producing  his 
manuscript  without  telling  anyone  but  Mr.  Cooper  the  secret,  the 
parts  were  distributed  and  the  play  studied,  rehearsed,  and 
brought  before  the  public  on  the  Monday  of  the  second  week  of 
the  season.  The  success  of  this  piece  alone  enabled  the  author  to 
keep  open  the  theatre.  The  author  had  adopted  the  names  from 
the  English  playbills,  as  well  as  the  name  by  which  Kotzebue's 
play  was  performed  in  London,  and  the  public  were  at  liberty  to 


Dunlap,  p.  2i6ff. 


1 6      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

suppose  that  that  which  delighted  them  had  been  sanctioned  by  a 
London  audience.   The  bills  only  announced  The  Stranger."2* 

On  December  10  the  first  performance  of  this  drama  was 
given.  December  12  it  was  repeated.  The  cast  was  as  follows: 

The  Stranger,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Count  de  Wintersen,  Mr.  Hallatn,  Jr. 

Baron  de  Steinfort,  Mr.  Barrett. 

Conrad,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Solomon,  Mr.  Bates. 

Peter,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Francis,  Mr.  Martin. 

Women. 

Countess  de  Wintersen,  Mrs.  Melmoth. 

Mrs.  Haller,  Mrs.  Barrett  (her  first  appearance). 

Girl,  Mrs.  Seymour. 

Children. 

Barbara,  Masters  Stockwell  and  Barrett. 

Boys,  Miss  Hogg. 

The  play  was  well  received  by  the  critics  and  the  public. 
When,  on  December  17,  1798,  it  was  advertised  for  the  third 
production,  the  Commercial  Advertiser  of  that  date  published 
the  following  comment,  signed  by  a  "Playgoer" :  "I  believe  that 
it  may  be  asserted  that  this  drama  is  without  parallel.  .  .  .  The 
most  momentous  consideration  relative  to  this  piece  is  its  moral 
tendency.  To  have  withheld  attention  from  the  scene  were  impos 
sible.  There  never  was  perhaps  a  dramatic  exhibition  to  which  the 
attention  of  so  numerous  an  audience  was  attracted  for  so  long 
a  period,  but  to  attend  it  without  beneficial  effects  upon  the  heart 
were  equally  impossible.  .  .  .  Laughter  is  rarely  the  friend  of 
morality ;  here,  however,  an  exception  to  common  rules  must  be 
admitted  to  exist,  since  the  purest  mind  might  indulge  not  only 
without  injury  but  with  benefit,  the  mirth  produced  by  the  arti 
fices  of  the  chambermaid  and  the  exposure  of  the  steward  and 
his  son.  The  influence  of  the  serious  part  was  far  more  original 


24Dunlap,  p.  253. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      17 

(display  of  passion,  etc.).  The  deportment  of  the  Stranger  will 
teach  the  lessons  of  humanity  and  justice.  If  all  plays  were  like 
this  and  if  all  audiences  were  equally  attentive  and  susceptible, 
the  question  of  the  usefulness  of  the  theatre  might  be  easily  de 
cided — since  no  man  who  witnessed  this  play  can  .hesitate  a  mo 
ment  to  admit  that  he  came  away  a  better  man  than  he  went."25 
This  exceedingly  favorable  comment,  together  with  the  large 
houses  which  the  play  drew,  caused  Dunlap  to  try  his  hand  at 
translating  and  producing  more  of  the  Kotzebue  dramas. 

With  this  purpose  in  mind  he  began  in  1797  the  study  of 
German  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  native  Swiss  from  one 
of  the  German  Cantons.  This  man,  a  member  of  the  orchestra, 
"was  stated  to  have  been  a  priest  and  to  be  versed  in  languages 
ancient  and  modern.  Being  a  master  of  English  as  well  as  of 
most  other  modern  tongues,  he  became  very  acceptable  as  a  com 
panion,  and  was  soon  employed  as  a  teacher  in  the  manager's 
family."20  The  ex-priest's  wonderful  tale  of  his  experiences  is 
related  at  length  by  Dunlap. 

By  diligent  study  Dunlap  gained  a  very  good  knowledge  of 
German — his  translations  are  fairly  accurate  and  conscientious. 
Wilkens  says  of  him:27  "He  follows  his  original  closely,  but 
with  due  attention  to  the  English  idiom.  Where  the  difference 
between  the  American  and  foreign  custom  is  too  marked,  or 
where  perhaps  passages  seemed  objectionable,  he  permitted  him 
self  slight  changes.  For  presentation  on  the  stage  the  pieces  had 
to  be  shortened ;  these  omissions  were  indicated  in  the  printed 
text.  Dunlap's  knowledge  of  German  was  very  good  for  a  time 
when  even  a  smattering  of  the  language  was  rare.  One  impor 
tant  difference  between  Dunlap  and  his  English  competitors  was 
this :  Dunlap  possessed  a  knowledge  of  German  that  was  rare 
among  practical  playwrights.  He  treated  the  intentions  of  the 
author  with  due  respect,  while  the  English  purveyors  of  dramatic 
literature  tailored  Kotzebue's  pieces  unscrupulously  and  to  their 


"Commercial  Advertiser  (N.  Y.),  December  17,  1798. 

M  Dunlap,  pp.  203-206. 

"Wilkens:  Americana  Germanica,  III  (1899),  P-  124. 


1 8      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

heart's  content  and  changed  them  to  suit  their  conventional 
ideas  of  what  a  drama  should  be." 

To  return  to  the  season  of  1798-99.  After  the  success  of 
The  Stranger  other  German  dramas  were  prepared.  On  the 
twenty-fourth  of  December,  1798,  a  note  appears  in  the  Commer 
cial  Advertiser:  "We  understand  that  a  copy  of  Count  Ben- 
jowski,  a  comedy  by  Kotzebue,  the  author  of  The  Stranger, 
is  in  town — likewise  one  or  more  copies  of  the  'Indians  in  Eng 
land'  by  the  same  hand;  if  so,  we  may  hear  of  them  perhaps  from 
the  theatre." 

Meanwhile  The  Stranger  was  performed  January  i,  1799 
(fourth  time),  January  16,  30,  February  6,  18,  March  2  (last 
time  this  season!),  March  9,  April  12,  June  24 — twelve  times 
during  the  season.  The  text  used  was  evidently  Dunlap's  ver 
sion28  and  not  the  English  translation  by  A.  S —  — k.29 

Count  Benyowski  did  not  progress  as  rapidly  as  was  ex 
pected.  "The  preparation  for  Count  B.  in  respect  to 
scenery  and  dresses  retards  the  much  expected  play,  but  we  un 
derstand  that  it  is  the  determination  of  the  director  of  the  thea 
tre  that  the  costumes  shall  be  complete  in  all  its  parts."  Another 
play,  however,  was  put  on  before  Count  Benyowski.  To 
awaken  curiosity  the  Commercial  Advertiser  of  March  i,  1799, 
published  the  following:  "We  understand  that  Kotzebue's  cele 
brated  play,  Lovers'  Vows,  is  in  great  forwardness.  This  play 
is  running  at  the  Covent  Garden  Theatre ;  at  the  same  time  The 
Stranger  is  running  at  Drury  Lane.  Thus  the  same  German 
poet  has  the  honor  of  supporting  both  the  English  theatres ;  and 
often  on  the  same  evening  delights  and  instructs  two  crowded 
audiences  in  one  of  the  largest  capitals  of  Europe." 

On  Monday  evening,  March  n,  Lovers'  Vows  was  played 
with  great  success.  "In  this  play  Mr.  Cooper  again  gave  great 
delight  in  the  character  of  the  Natural  Son,  and  Mr.  Tyler  sup- 


*  Cf.  Commercial  Advertiser,  January  22,  1799.  "Printed  copies  (of  The 
Stranger)  are  essentially  different  from  the  play  as  performed." 

n  Cf.  Wilkens,  Americana  Germanica,  III,  173.  The  Stranger:  translated 

from  Kotzebue  (by  A.  S. -k),  N.  Y.  1799.  Reprint  of:  The  Stranger:  a 

comedy.  Freely  translated  from  Kotzebue's  German  comedy  of  Misantrophy 
and  Repentance.  (By  A.  S k)  (i.  e.,  by  A.  Schink.)  London,  1798. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      19 

ported  the  Baron  with  good  success,  but  the  eminent  popularity 
of  the  piece  was  as  much  to  be  attributed  to  the  happy  combina 
tion  of  youth,  beauty,  judgment  and  naivete  of  manner  which 
Miss  E.  Westray  displayed  in  the  daughter  of  the  Baron  and  the 
sister  of  Frederick.  Neither  The  Stranger  nor  Lovers  Vows 
as  written  for  the  American  Theatre  are  published,30  and  the 
versions  from  London  have  been  preferred  by  the  London  play 
ers.  But  we  will  remark  that  when  Mrs.  Merry  read  the  Ameri 
can  'Stranger',  she  declined  playing  Mrs.  Haller  as  studied  from 
the  London  copy."  (Dunlap. ) 

The  latter  part  of  this  quotation  throws  light  upon  the  state 
of  the  stage  in  New  York.  Before  a  play  could  be  called  great, 
the  audience  looked  for  the  English  stamp  of  approval.  If  it 
had  been  given  at  one  of  the  London  theatres  or  was  the  accepted 
work  of  an  Englishman,  translation  or  original,  the  way  into 
American  hearts  was  easy.  This  very  circumstance  caused  Dun- 
lap  to  preserve  the  English  titles  of  some  of  his  translations,  e. 
g.,  The  Stranger,  Lovers'  Vows  and  The  Virgin  of  the 
Sim.31  (Lovers'  Vows  had  been  translated  by  Mrs.  Inchbald, 
who  prided  herself  on  her  improvement  of  Kotzebue's  drama.  An 
interesting  comparison  of  the  English  and  the  American  ver 
sions,  in  which  Dunlap,  very  justly,  is  ranked  far  above  Mrs. 
Inchbald,  appeared  in  the  American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Re 
view.32) 

Hardly  had  the  novelty  of  Lovers'  Vows  worn  off  when 
the  manager  had  another  play  ready — the  long  looked  for  Count 
Benjowsky.  It  was  brought  out  April  i,  "with  great  expense  and 
care.  The  audience  was  much  gratified  and  expectation  though 
on  tip-toe,  fully  satisfied.  The  costumes  of  Russia  and  Siberia 
were  strictly  adhered  to  and  the  snow  and  ice  of  Russia  and  Si 
beria  would  have  been  invaluable  in  the  dog-days".33  The  play 
bill  of  the  day  gives  not  only  the  cast  but  a  synopsis  of  the  scenes. 
Characters : 


"Lovers'  Vows  was  published  in  1814.    Cf.  Wilkens,  pp.  114  and  195. 
w  Dunlap,  pp.  253  and  254. 

"  American  Monthly  Mayazine  and  Review,  Vol.  I,  96  (April,  1799). 
**  Dunlap,  p.  261. 


20      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Governor  of  Bolcheretsk,  Mr.  Hallam. 

Hettman  of  the  Cossacks,  Mr.  Bates. 

Count  Benjowski,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Cristien,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Stepanoff,  Mr.  Barrett. 

Kudrin,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Gurcinin,  Mr.  Martin. 

Kukossow,  Mr.  Miller. 

First  Exiles,  Mr.  Perkins. 

Orderly  Sergeant,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Conspirators,  Mr.  Seymour,  Shapter,  etc. 

Women. 

Athanasia,  Mrs.  Barrett. 

Feodora,  Mrs.  Oldmixon. 

"With  new  scenery  representing  that  inhospitable  part  of 
the  globe  and  dresses  displaying  the  Russian,  Cossack  and  Kam- 
schadale  costumes. 

"Act  1st.  View  of  the  Exiles  near  Kamschadale.  Hut,  Snow 
scene. 

"Act  Ilnd.    Inside  of  Kamschadale  Hut. 

"Act  Illrd.  Winter  landscape  by  moonlight,  covered  with 
*snow  and  ice,  as  seen  from  the  ramparts  of  the  castle  of  Bol 
cheretsk.  Half  moon  descending. 

"Act  5th.  View  of  the  harbor  of  Bolcheretsk.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  Bolcheretska  which  empties  its  waters  into  the  Sea  of 
Ochotsk.  Ship  ready  to  sail." 

April  3  Count  Benyowski  was  repeated.  A  "Theatrical 
Communication"  of  that  date  says:  "Monday  evening  Count 
BenjoTvsky  was  represented  to  a  very  crowded  audience  and  re 
ceived  with  every  token  of  interest  and  approbation."  In  all 
probability  the  honor  of  the  first  English  performance  belongs  to 
the  New  York  Theatre,  for  it  was  many  years  before  Count 
Benyoivski  was  put  on  the  stage  in  England.34 


84  Count  Benyowski  was  acted  first  in  England  at  the  Drury  Lane  Theatre, 
March  16.  1826.  Cf.  Genest,  IX,  p.  331.  Walter  Sellier  ("Kotzebue  in  Eng 
land"),  page  78,  states  that  it  was  first  acted  at  Covent  Garden,  October  16,  1811. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      21 

No  new  play  of  Kotzebue  was  given  until  June  14,  when  for 
the  benefit  of  Mrs.  Hallam,  The  Indians  in  England,  or  The  Na 
bob  of  Mysore  was  produced.  Dunlap  fails  to  mention  it  in  his 
history  and  on  the  theatre  bill  no  author  is  indicated.  These  facts 
alone  cause  me  to  believe  that  Dunlap  is  not  the  adapter  or  trans 
lator.  The  cast  was  as  follows : 

Sir  J.  Seymour,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Samuel,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Robert,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Baderda,  Mr.  Barrett. 

Fazir,  Mr.  Martin. 

Muscaffery,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Obrian,  Mr.  Hallam. 

J.  Trummion,  Mr.  Bates. 

Tom,  Master  Stockwell. 

Lady  Seymour,  Mrs.  Hogg. 

Amelia,  Miss  E.  Westray. 
Gurli  (with  an  epilogue),  Mrs.  Hallam. 

Kotzebue  was  now  before  the  public.  Three  of  his  dramas 
had  been  presented — enough  to  call  forth  opinions  and  discus 
sions  in  the  magazines.  A  rather  long  article  appeared  in  the 
American  Monthly  Magazine  (April,  1799),  which  seemed  to 
show  careful  study  of  some  of  Kotzebue's  works.  Only  parts  of 
the  whole  article  are  here  reproduced. 

After  a  short  biographical  sketch  the  author  devotes  a  few 
words  to  the  translations  of  Kotzebue  into  English,  lamenting 
the  fact  that  all  of  them  are  very  poor  and  inadequate.  Three 
dramas  he  mentions — Misanthropy  and  Repentance.  The 
Negro  Slaves  and  The  Indians  in  England.  "The  first  of 
these,"  he  continues,  "has  been  translated  with  some  success  in 
this  country  (England)  though  in  a  very  mutilated  condition, 
under  the  title  The  Stranger,  where  it  has  during  the  greater 
part  of  last  season,  attracted  crowded  audiences  to  the  Drury 
Lane  Theatre.  The  other  two  pieces,  namely,  Negro  Slaves  and 


"Das  Stuck  wurde  in  der  Saison  1811/12,  nur  viermal  aufgefiihrt  imd  dieses 
geringen  Biihnenerfolges  wegen  auch  nicht  gedruckt." 


22      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Indians  in  England,  have  likewise  met  with  translators, 
though  the  latter  of  them  is  not  yet  published ;  nor  is  it  likely  that 
any  other  of  his  dramatic  compositions  will  ever  be  brought  on 
the  English  stage.  This  may  be  partly  ascribed  to  the  great  dif 
ference  existing  between  the  national  taste  and  manners  of  the 
English  and  Germans,  and  partly  to  a  certain  peculiarity  in  the 
writings  of  Kotzebue,  which  characterizes  and  distinguishes  his 
productions  from  those  of  all  other  modern  writers.  .  .  .  Few } 
writers  have  ever  attained  to  his  excellence  in  delineating  whim 
sical  and  impassioned  character,  and  in  scenes  drawn  from  pri 
vate  and  domestic  life  our  poet  eminently  excels  his  contempo 
rary  rivals,  both  in  the  unaffected  delicacy  of  the  sentiments  he 
conveys  and  the  freedom  and  precision  with  which  he  introduces 
them.  His  language,  though  generally  correct  and  dignified,  is 
occasionally  tinctured  with  an  ambiguous  mode  of  expression 
and  his  dialogue  sometimes  degenerates  into  a  whining  tone.  But 
this  is  not  so  much  the  fault  of  an  individual  as  of  the  depraved 
taste  of  his  countrymen.  This  false  taste,  however,  may  be  man 
ifested  in  several  ways :  In  England  the  constant  visitors  of  the 
theatres  well  know  that  equivocal  phrases  and  sentiments  such 
as  do  not  grossly  offend  the  delicate  ears  of  females,  are  not  in 
frequently  applauded  more  than  the  most  refined  moral  doc 
trines.  .  .  .  Kotzebue's  system  of  morals  as  exhibited  in  his 
dramatic  compositions,  does  not  seem  free  from  censure — for  it 
certainly  is  too  great  a  sacrifice  made  of  virtue  when  characters 
of  vicious  habits  are  represented  as  having  attained  their  end, 
and  finished  their  immoral  career  in  triumph,  merely  because 
some  fortunate  accident  turned  the  scale  in  their  favor.  If  the 
remark  which  has  been  frequently  made  in  our  reviews  as  well  as 
newspapers  be  just,  that  all  German  productions  of  the  dramatic 
kind  'abound  in  sentiment  and  reasoning'  and  if  these  are  ob 
jectionable  qualities  of  a  performance  which  is  to  be  subjected  to 
a  popular  tribunal,  there  is  little  or  no  danger  to  be  apprehended 
that  the  English  stage  will  be  inundated  with  German  plays."35 
But  the  prophecies  of  the  critic  were  not  verified. 


88  American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Review,  I,  77.     (April,  1799.) 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      23 

Two  more  important  novelties  of  the  season  attract  our  at 
tention,  viz.,  Don  Carlos,  May  6,  and  The  Minister,  or  Kabal 
and  Love,  May  10,  in  the  translation  of  M.  G.  Lewis.36 

Don  Carlos  was  entirely  too  long  for  the  American  stage. 
"Those  who  have  read  this  voluminous  poem  in  the  original  or  in 
translation,  will  know  that  only  a  jneager  curtailment  could  be 
performed  within  the  ordinary  time  allowed  to  an  English  play. 
The  manager  curtailed  it  and  it  was  more  curtailed  in  the  per 
formance.  It  was  unmercifully  shorn  of  its  beams."37  The  cast 
follows : 

Philip  II,  King  of  Spain,  Mr.  Fennel. 

Don  Carlos,  Prince  Royal,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Marquis  of  Posa,  Mr.  Martin. 

Duke  of  Alva,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Count  of  Lerma,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Duke  of  Feria,  Mr.  Miller. 

Taxis,  Mr.  Leonard. 
Dominick,  Confessor  to  the  King, Mr.  Hogg. 

Prior,  Mr.  Perkins. 

Women. 

Elizabeth  of  Valois,  Queen  of  Spain,  Mrs.  Barrett. 
Duchess  of  Olivarez,  Mrs.  Hogg. 

Marchioness  of  Mondecar,  Miss  White. 

Princess  of  Eboli,  Miss  E.  Westray. 

Children. 

Princess  Royal,  Master  Stockwell. 

Pages,  Miss  Hogg,  etc. 

Lords  and  Ladies  of  the  Court,  etc. 

"Scene  never  before  exhibited. 

"A  grand  palace  with  a  view  of  the  palace  gardens,  a  rich 
Gothic  anti-chamber." 

No  comments  have  been  found  in  the  current  numbers  of 
the  New  York  papers. 

"According  to  Ireland's  "Records  of  the  New  York  Stage,"  I,  186. 
"  Dunlap,  pp.  261-2. 


24      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Minister  (Mrs.  Melmoth's  benefit)  shows  a  cast  dif 
ferent  from  Schiller's  and  from  the  London  cast,  as  well  as  from 
the  Philadelphia  cast.  A  comparison  is  given  in  the  following 
table : 

New  York,  I799.38        Schiller.        London,  May  4,  i8o3.39 

Count  Rosenberg 

(Mr.  Barrett)        =  Pras.  von  Walther  =  Count  Faulkner 

Marshall  Ingelheim 

(Jefferson)  =  von  Kalb  —  Baron  Mindheim 

Casemir   (Cooper)     =  Ferdinand,  son  of  Walther     =  Major  Faulkner 
Warbeck  (Hogg)      =  Wurm  =  Worm 

Munster  (Tyler)  =  Miller 

Walter  (a  servant), 

(Martin)  =  Kammerdiener 

Baroness  Augusta 

(Mrs.  Melmoth)   =  Lady  Milford  =  Lady  Jane  Milford 

Elizabeth  Munster 

(Mrs.  Hogg)         =  Frau  Miller 
Julia  (Miss  E. 

Westray)  =  Louise  =  Louisa 

Catharina  (Miss 

White)  —  Kammerjungfer  der  Lady      = 

The  Philadelphia  play  (1813)  was  Lewis'  play  revised40  and 
called  The  Harper's  Daughter.  Wood41  relates  how  it  was 
necessary  to  "omit  the  whole  character  of  Augusta — a  portion  of 
the  drama  upon  which  the  great  talents  of  Schiller  have  been  so 
lavishly  employed."  The  New  York  public  was  not  so  fastidious 
and  took  the  play  as  found  in  the  English  translation  curtailed 
by  Dunlap.  The  author  of  this  version  is  Lewis.  The  play 
used  on  the  London  stage  in  1803  is  attributed  by  Genest  to  the 
same  author ;  unless  a  very  thorough  rearrangement  was  made  it 
would  seem  almost  improbable  that  they  were  from  the  same 
hand.42  Parry  compares  the  translation  of  1802  with  the  Ger 
man.  His  list  of  characters  corresponds  to  that  of  the  Covent 


88  Corresponds  in  every  detail  to  cast  in  Lewis'  translation,  1797,  as  pub 
lished  in  the  English  Drama,  Vol.  XII,  No.  3. 

"  London  cast  from  Genest,  "Some  Account  of  the  English  Stage,"  VII, 
583-4.  He  adds :  "Lewis  is  said  to  have  adapted  Schiller's  play  to  the 
English  Stage."  Genest's  cast  does  not  show  any  trace  of  the  Lewis  transla 
tion  but  in  all  probability  is  a  translation  by  J.  J.  K.  Timaus. 

40  Cf.  Wilkens,  Americana  Germamca,  III,  133  and  No.  152. 

"Wood,  W.  B.,  "Personal  Recollections  of  the  Stage,"  1855,  P-  183. 

"  In  all  probability  it  was  a  version  by  J.  J.  K.  Timaeus,  London,  1795. 
Reprinted  in  Baltimore,  1802.  Cf.  Parry,  p.  n;  Wilkens,  No.  92,  p.  182. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      25 

Garden  list  (iSos).43     The  Philadelphia  cast,  instead  of  "Lou 
isa"  has  "The  Harper's  Daughter".44 

There  still  remain  two  plays  to  be  mentioned — The  Wheel 
of  Fortune,  December  21,  1798;  The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  per 
formed  for  the  first  time  in  the  New  Theatre,  January  23,  1799. 
The  cast  has  been  previously  given.  We  also  note  a  performance 
of  Columbus  May  15,  1799. 

Summary  of  the  Season. 
New  German  plays,  6 
Kotzebue,  4 

Schiller,  2 

Possibly  German,       i 

The  twelve  performances  of  The  Stranger  have  been 
enumerated:  Lovers'  Vows  was  played  March  n,  13,  18,  21, 
29,  April  8,  19  (last  time!)  May  27 — eight  performances; 
Count  Benyoivski,  April  i,  3,  5,  20. 

The  Indians  in  England,  June  14,  I   performance. 

Don  Carlos,  May  6,  i  performance. 

The  Minister,  May  10,  June  10,  2  performances. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade  ( ?),  January  23,  28,  March  16, 

3  performances. 

Total  number  of  performances  during  the  season  (Decem 
ber  3,  1798,  to  June  24,  1799)—  93. 

Of  these  twenty-eight  were  of  German  plays,  plus  three  un 
certain  (Siege  of  Belgrade). 

The  short  summer  season  at  the  Pantheon  in  Greenwich 
Street  (June  28  to  July  17)  brings  nothing  of  interest. 

Season  of  1799-1800.         (Third  at  the  Park.) 

During  the  summer  Dunlap  was  busy  with  Kotzebue.     "He 

was    employed    in    translating    Kotzebue's     comedy     of     False 

Shame  and  turning  the  farce  of    Der    Wildfang    into  an  opera 

which  he  called  The  Wildgoose  Chase — a  title  which  some  wise- 


48  Parry,  "Schiller  in  America,"  pp.  12,  15.    Cf.  also  Wilkens,  134-5. 
44  Brede.      "Schiller    on    the    Philadelphia    Stage."     GERMAN    AMERICAN 
ANNALS,  N.  S.,  Ill,  264. 


26      German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830 

acres  thought  was  intended  as  a  translation  of  the  German  appel- 
ation."45  To  encourage  the  adaptation  of  his  own  plays  Kotze- 
bue  himself  wrote  Dunlap46  offering  him  six  new  unpublished 
plays,  the  price  of  which  was  left  to  the  delicacy  of  the  manager. 
A  note  in  the  Commercial  Advertiser  echoes  the  content  of  this 
letter:  "We  have  the  authority  to  say  that  those  manuscript 
pieces  which  by  contract  are  not  to  be  printed  for  years  to  come, 
will  be  forwarded  to  the  Director  of  the  New  York  Theatre,  im 
mediately  from  their  illustrious  author."47  Dunlap  never  availed 
himself  of  this  privilege. 

On  account  of  the  yellow  fever,  the  season  opened  late- 
November  1 8,  1799.  The  German  plays  were: 

Lovers'  Voivs,  November  22. 

Self-immolation,0  November  29,  December  2. 

False  Shame,  or  The  American  Orphan  in  Germany,0 
December  n,  13,  18,  January  5,  6,  16,  17,  February  3,  April  25, 
1800. 

Count  Benyowski,  January  22,  February  8,  1800. 

Wildgoose  Chase,0  January  24,  27,  28,  February  19,  April 
10,  1800. 

The  Stranger,  January  15,  February  26,  1800. 

Force  of  Calumny,0  February  5,  7,  10,  March  7,  1800. 

Count  of  Burgundy0  March  3,  5,  1800. 

Virgin  of  the  Sun0  March  12,  15,  17,  19,  24,  1800. 

Pizarro  in  Peru0  March  26,  27,  28,  31,  April  2,  4,  14,  23, 
May  1 6,  1800. 

Sighs,  or  The  Daughter  °  April  16,  18,  1800. 

The  Corsicans,  or  The  Dawning  of  Love0  April  21,  1800. 

Joanna  of  Montfaucon,0  May  28,  1800. 

The  Stranger's  Birthday  °  April  23,  1800. 

The  Wise  Man  of  the  East0  May  30,  1800. 

The  Happy  Family0  June  2,  1800. 

The  Horse  and  the  Widow0  May  5,  1800. 


44  Dunlap,  p.  272. 

**  Dunlap,  p.  273.  The  full  text  of  the  letter  can  be  found  there. 

"Commercial  Advertiser,  November  21,  1799. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830      27 

To  these  Kotzebue  plays  the  following  plays  of  other 
authors  may  be  added : 

The  Minister  (Kabale  und  Liebe),  December  20,  1799. 

The  Robbers,  April  7,    1800. 

Siege  of  Belgrade  (?),  December  7,  14,  February  15,  1800. 

English. 

Gustav  Vasa  (Brooks),  January  8,  10,  1800. 
Peru  Revenged  (Murphy),  May  19,  1800. 
A  veritable  deluge  of  German  plays !     And  of  the  number 
given  fourteen  were  entirely  new.    The  strain  of  committing  the 
parts  and  of  rehearsing  must  have  been  a  severe  one.     No  won 
der  that  while  all  appeared  gay  and  prosperous  to  the  public  eye, 
all  within  was  discord  and  discontent;  that  the  plays  were  stig 
matized  by  the  actors  as  "Dutch  stuff"  and  by  "other  epithets 
equally  characteristic." 

The  new  plays  call  forth  more  comment  than  usual  at  this 
period ;  generally  the  director  adopted  modern  methods  of  adver 
tising,  giving  descriptions  of  the  scenes  and  even  relating  to  a 
certain  extent  the  plot  of  the  drama.  The  Monthly  Magazine  con 
tains  reviews  of  a  number  of  the  translations,  which  will  be  re 
ferred  to  in  the  order  of  production. 

The  first  of  the  season's  novelties  is  Self-immolation,  or 
The  Sacrifice  of  Love  (written  by  President  Kotzebue).49  This 
is  not  mentioned  by  Dunlap.  Cast : 

Robert  Maxwell,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Landlord,  Mr.  Perkins. 

Harrington,  Mr.  Hallam. 

Walwyn,  Mr.  Martin. 

Dempster,  Mr.  Fox. 

A  Jew,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Flood,  Mr.  Dykes. 

Dumfries,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

John  Hartop,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Messenger,  Mr.  Leonard. 

Waiters,  Gamblers,  etc., Mr.  Leonard,  Shapter,  etc. 

49  Cf.  Wilkens,  p.  176.  Self-immolation,  or  The  Sacrifice  of  Love.  Printed 
for  Chas.  Smith  and  S.  Stevens,  1800.  Possibly  a  reprint  of  Self-immolation 
etc.,  by  Henry  Neumann,  London,  1799. 


28      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Women. 

Arabella,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

An  Old  Blind  Lady,  Mrs.  Brett. 

Jane,  Miss  Brett. 

Harry,  Master  Stockwell. 

The  play  was  not  successful  and  was  performed  only  twice 
during  the  season.  False  Shame  as  translated  and  adapted 
to  the  American  stage  by  Dunlap  was  performed  with  great  suc 
cess  December  n,  1799.  Like  The  Stranger,  in  the  previous 
year,  False  Shame  saved  the  manager  the  season.  He  says: 
"This  play  without  scenery  or  decoration,  by  plain  dialogue  and 
natural  character  supported  the  second  season  of  the  author's  di 
rection.  The  Force  of  Calumny,  Fraternal  Discord™  (by  the 
same  pen)  and  others  did  their  part,  but  False  Shame  was  the 
pillar  on  which  all  rested."50a 
The  cast  was  the  following : 

Baron  Flachsland,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Vicomte  de  Maillac,  Mr.  Martin. 

Captain  Erlach,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Wieland,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Frelon,  Mr.  Fox. 

John,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Baroness,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

Adelaid,  Mrs.  Hallam. 

Emmy,  Miss  E.  Westray. 

Madame  Moreau,  Mrs.  Melmoth. 

"All  the  piece  was  well  played  and  never  were  critics  of  the 
green  room  more  disappointed  than  the  performers  of  this  piece 
were,  when  they  found  that  audience  after  audience  were  de 
lighted  by  this  unadorned  comedy."51 

The  third  new  piece  staged  was  The  Wildgoose  Chase, 
translated  by  Dunlap  from  Kotzebue's  Wildfang.  The  papers 
announce  simply  that  "On  Friday  evening  will  be  presented 
(never  performed  here)  a  comic  opera  in  4  Acts  called  The  Wild- 

**  Fraternal  Discord  was  not  played  until  the  next  season. 
"•  Dunlap,  p.  274. 
81  Dunlap,  p.  274. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      29 

goose  Chase,  translated  from  the  German  of  President  Von 
Kotzebue." 

The  piece  was  well  received  and  "continued  to  be  a  favorite 
as  long  as  Hodgkinson  continued  to  play  the  young  Baron."52 

The  Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Review  of  March 
1800,  devotes  considerable  space  to  a  review  of  Dunlap's  trans 
lation,  comparing  it  to  Smith's,53  which  was  published  at  about 
the  same  time.  Smith  is  berated  for  his  literal,  clumsy,  un-English 
rendering.  "Mr.  Dunlap  is  more  free,  but  this  freedom  is  under 
the  guidance  of  sound  discretion.  His  experience  as  director  of 
the  theatre  has  enabled  him  to  discern  what  would  be  most  ac 
ceptable  and  to  adapt  his  translation  to  the  opinion  and  to  the 
taste  of  the  public."54  Specimens  of  the  translations  are  then 
given  that  the  reader  may  judge  for  himself  as  to  the  merits. 

The  plan  of  the  German  Theatre  is  also  discussed :  "Mr. 
Dunlap's  plan  is  more  extensive  than  that  of  Mr.  Smith.  It  com 
prehends  all  the  German  plays  which  are  or  may  be  exhibited  on 
the  New  York  Theatre.  The  Wildgoose  Chase  is  the  first  of 
the  proposed  series,  which  it  is  intended  to  publish  under  the  title 
of  the  German  Theatre.  The  life  of  the  author  (Kotzebue), 
written  by  himself,  is  prefixed  by  Mr.  Dunlap  and  will  be  accepta 
ble  to  the  admirers  of  Kotzebue."54 

The  Commercial  Advertiser  for  January  29,  1800,  devotes 
a  full  column  to  a  discussion  of  the  new  play,  giving  plot  and  a 
criticism  of  the  actors.  The  following  excerpt  shows  the  desires 
of  the  public :  "Our  first  impressions  of  this  piece  have  not  been 
diminished  by  those  received  at  its  second  presentation.  Though 
we  profess  our  partiality  for  the  sentimental  or  genteel  comedy — 
we  are  not  averse  to  that  species  which  excites  innocent  mirth 
and  provokes  to  merriment  and  laughter." 


83  Dunlap,  p.  275. 

"Charles  Smith,  a  bookseller,  born  in  New  York  City  1768,  died  there 
1808.  He  translated  plays  for  the  stage  from  the  German  of  Kotzebue  and 
Schiller  and  edited  The  Monthly  Military  Repository  in  1796-1797,  the  Revolu 
tionary  descriptions  of  which  were  said  to  have  been  supplied  by  Baron  Steuben 
and  General  Horatio  Gates.  He  also  published  a  "Political  Pocket  Almanac 
(N.  Y.  1707)."  "Appleton's  Cyclopaedia  of  American  Biography,"  Vol.  5,  p. 
558.  More  than  this  I  have  not  been  able  to  find. 

"Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Review,  II,  2256*. 


30      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 


Twelve  days  after  the  premiere  of  The  Wildgoose  Chase, 
The  Force  of  Calumny  was  produced  February  5,  1800. 
Aside  from  the  cast  of  characters  and  Dunlap's  statement  that  it 
was  successful,  which  is  sustained  by  the  repeated  performances, 
no  mention  is  made  of  the  new  play. 

Next  The  Count  of  Burgundy  (not  recorded  by  Dunlap) 
was  put  on.  It  had  been  previously  given  in  Philadelphia  (Feb 
ruary  19,  1800)  :55  "For  the  first  time  in  America,  a  play  in 
four  acts,  adapted  to  the  American  stage  by  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  written  by  A.  von  Kotzebue."  The  translator 
was  probably  C.  W.  Smith,  although  Dunlap  very  likely  had  to 
make  alterations  in  staging  it  in  New  York.  Ireland's  statement 
that  the  adaptation  was  by  Dunlap  is  doubtful  because  of  the  very 
fact  that  the  first  performances  were  in  Philadelphia,  an  argu 
ment  which  is  strengthened  by  a  comparison  of  the  casts  of  the 
two  theatres  with  the  result  that  they  are  practically  the  same : 


Philadelphia 
Father  Peter, 
Henry, 

Chevalier  von  Hellwyl, 
Count  Hugo, 
Chevalier  Walter  von  felonay, 

Nicolas, 
Martin, 
Bloch, 
Old  Man, 

Elizabeth  von  Hellwyl, 
Gertrude, 
Young  Woman, 
Little  Girl, 

Matilda  (Countess  Dowager 
of  Burgundy), 


New  York. 
Brother  Peter. 
Henry, 

Chevalier  von  Hellwyl. 
Guido. 

Chevalier  Blonay. 
Bruns  (?)  or  Bruno  ( ?). 
Nicholas. 
Martin. 
Bloch. 

Citizens  of  Aries. 
Guards. 
Elizabeth. 
Gertrude. 
Young  Woman. 
Little  Girl. 

Matilda. 

Young  Women  of  Aries. 


65  Brede.    Cf.  "German  Drama  on  the  Philadelphia  Stage,"  GERMAN  AMER 
ICAN  ANNALS  (N.  S.),  Vol.  II,  p.  in. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      31 

Two  translations  of  this  play  are  reviewed  in  the  Monthly 
Magazine  and  American  Revieiv  of  i8oo,56  Miss  Plumtre's  and 
Smith's.  The  usual  charges  are  made  against  the  latter,  poor 
translation,  literal  and  not  English ;  while  Miss  Plumtre's  version 
is  highly  commended.  Nowhere  is  an  adaptation  by  Dunlap 
mentioned. 

We  now  come  to  the  discussion  of  the  two  plays  which  to 
gether  with  The  Stranger  held  the  stage  longer  than  any  other 
Kotzebue  plays:  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  (being  the  first  part 
of  Pizarro  in  Peru)  and  Pizarro  in  Peru,  or  The  Death  of 
Rolla.  A  "German  Reader"  writes  an  interesting  article  for  the 
Commercial  Advertiser*1  telling  how  Kotzebue  attended  the 
opera  Cora  (based  on  the  story  of  "Cora  and  Alonzo",  from  Mar- 
montel's  "Incas")58  with  a  lady  friend  who  suggested  that  the 
incident  was  worthy  of  dramatization.  Some  months  later  he 
presented  this  lady  with  a  copy  of  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun.59 
The  "Reader"  continues:  "I  was  in  Germany  when  The  Vir 
gin  of  the  Sun  was  first  played  and  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  von  Kotzebue  play  in  the  piece  with  various  people 
of  taste  and  fashion."  He  then  gives  the  names  of  the  players 
and  their  parts. 

Elaborate  preparations  were  made  for  the  initial  perform 
ance  of  this  play.  The  announcement  reads  thus : 

"March  12  will  be  presented  (never  performed  here)  a  play 
in  five  acts  called  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  (being  the  first  part  of 
Pizarro  in  Peru,  or  The  Death  of  Rolla)  written  by  A.  von  Kot 
zebue.  With  new  scenery  and  dresses — representing  the  Riches 
and  Splendour  of  Peru  before  the  Conquest  by  the  Spaniards. 
Scenery  designed  and  executed  by  Mr.  Ciceri.  Dresses  designed 
by  Mr.  Martin  and  executed  under  his  direction. 


"Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Review,  II  (1800),  p.  133. 

"  Commercial  Advertiser,  March  19,  1800. 

58  Cf.  Morton's  Columbus  mentioned  on  page  14  of  this  paper. 

*'  Cf.  Kotzebue's  Preface  to  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  as  translated  by  Dunlap 
in  the  German  Theatre,  No.  II  (published  by  G.  F.  Hopkins,  N.  Y:  1800). 

"To  the  Lady  of  /  the  /  President  Von  Der  Wense,  /  of  /  the  Family  of 
Ahlefeld.  On  a  dark  and  rainy  evening  in  Pyrmont,  which  prohibited  the 
enjoyment  of  the  charms  of  Nature,  you  took  refuge  in  the  temple  of  Thalia. 


32      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Cast: 

Ataliba,  King  of  Quito,  Mr.  Hallam. 

High  Priest  of  Quito,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Zaira,  Priest  of  the  Sun,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Telasce,  Mr.  Crosby. 

Zorai,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Rolla,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Don  Alonzo  Molina,  Mr.  Martin. 

Don  Juan  Velasquez,  Mr.  Fox. 

Diego,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Chamberlain,  Mr.  Perkins. 

Priests,  Mr.  Perkins,  etc. 

Guards  and  Attendants,  Mr.  Leonard,  etc. 

Cora,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

High  Priestess  of  the  Sun,  Mrs.  Melmoth. 

Idali,  Miss  E.  Westray. 

Amazili,  Miss  Harding. 
Priestesses  and  Virgins  of  the  Sun,   Mrs.  Seymour,  Miss  Brett, 

Westray,  etc. 

"Act  1st.  The  Stage  will  represent  a  Wild  Forest  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  the  Temple  of  the  Sun.  On  one  side  the  Cave  of  Rolla — 
on  the  other  a  Rocky  Towering  Hill.  The  wall  of  the  Temple  is 
seen  at  a  little  distance  with  a  Breech  in  it  by  an  earthquake.  Fur 
ther  back  the  Cupalo  of  the  Temple  appears  rising  above  the 
trees. 


Naumann's  opera  of  Cora*  was  the  piece  performed.  The  performers  were 
bad  and  my  only  pleasure  arose  from  being  placed  behind  you  and  partaking 
at  times  of  your  conversation.  Among  other  observations  you  remarked 
'that  this  opera  contained  an  excellent  subject  for  a  play.' 

"I  felt  that  this  idea  would  have  originated  with  me,  if  I  had  not  been 
situated  exactly  as  I  was ;  however,  I  seized  it  with  avidity  and  entreated  you 
to  command  the  execution.  This  was  long  refused.  Commands  are  not  the  lan 
guage  of  my  friend.  However.  I  insisted  upon  a  positive  command. 

"  'Well,  then,  I  command  it/  you  said  at  length,  with  a  naivete  all  your 
own.  I  bowed — and  behold,  here  stands  my  Virgin  of  the  Sun." 

*Naumann's  Cora  was  composed  in  1780.  Cf.  A.  D.  B.  "Im  Jahre  1780 
ging  N.  zum  zweiten  Male  nach  Stockholm,  woselbst  seine  ebenfalls  in 
schwedischer  Sprache  geschriebenen  Opern  Cora  und  Gustav  Wasa  einen 
ganz  unglaublichen  Erfolg  errangen.  Goran's  Cora  och  Alonzo  appeared  in 
1782. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      33 

''Time :  Evening. 

"Act  Ilnd.  The  same  scene  in  the  morning :  Sun  rising  above 
the  Cupalo  of  the  Temple  while  Cora  and  Alonzo  pay  their  morn 
ing  adoration  upon  the  summit  of  the  hill. 

"Act  3rd.  The  House  of  the  Stars.  Scene  2nd.  The  Palace 
of  Ataliba,  King  of  Quito. 

"Act  4th.  A  desolate  place  without  the  walls  of  the  Temple. 
Chorus  of  Priests  who  dig  the  grave  of  Cora.  (Music  by  M.  Pel- 
issier. ) 

"Act  5th.  The  Temple  of  the  Sun — displaying  all  the  mag 
nificence  of  Peruvian  superstition." 

The  splendid  scenery  and  the  great  display  helped  to  cover 
the  loss  of  the  great  actor  Cooper,  who  left  Dunlap  in  March — 
evidently  before  the  performance  of  this  play,  since  his  name  no 
longer  appears  on  the  bills.  I  see  no  reason  for  Brede's  assump 
tion60  that  Cooper  left  Dunlap  in  April,  1800,  when  Dunlap's 
statement  that  Cooper  seceded  in  March61  is  borne  out  by  the 
playbills  of  the  day. 

The  adaptation  of  Die  Sonnenjungfrau  is  praised  in  an  arti 
cle  in  the  Monthly  Magazine  of  May,  1800:  "The  alterations 
made  by  Mr.  D.  are  so  great  that  his  performance  can  hardly  be 
called  a  'translation'.  It  is  almost  a  new  play  in  which  will  be 
found  few  of  those  faults  in  style  and  sentiment  which  occur  in 
the  more  literal  and  faithful  translation  of  Kotzebue.  For  the 
sake  of  those  who  wish  to  see  the  whole  of  Kotzebue,  most  of  the 
omitted  passages  are  restored  and  the  alterations  pointed  out  in 
the  notes  subjoined  to  the  play."  Smith's  translation  is  branded 
as  a  reprint  of  Miss  Plumtre's  version  without  acknowledgment. 
The  writer  pays  Dunlap  a  high  compliment  in  saying:  "But  the 
minuter  differences  of  expression,  by  which  the  original  is  soft 
ened  and  chastized,  are  too  many  to  be  particularized,  and  render 
the  translation  of  Mr.  D.  to  an  English  reader,  superior  to  other 
translations."62 


60  Brede :  "German  Drama  on  the  Philadelphia  Stage,"  GERMAN  AMERICAN 
ANNALS  (N.  S.),  Vol.  II,  pp.  113-4. 
91  Cf.  Dunlap,  p.  275. 
n  Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Review,  II,  365. 


34      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  sequel  to  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  was  not  long  in  mater 
ializing.  March  2663  Pizarro  in  Peru  was  performed.  The  cast 
is  not  published,  only  a  synopsis  of  the  scenes  being  given. 

"Act  ist.  The  Temple  of  the  Sun;  in  the  Center  an  Altar 
upon  which  the  sacrifice  offered  by  the  Inca  is  consumed  by  fire 
from  above.  Solemn  procession  of  Priests  and  Priestesses  to  the 
Sacrifice  with  Hymns  and  Invocations  before  going  to  battle. 
Landscape  with  a  Rock  upon  which  the  Boy  climbs  to  see  the 
Battle. 

"Act  3rd.  Wild  Retreat  among  stupendous  Rocks — Trium 
phant  March  and  Procession  of  Warriors  returning  from  Battle 
with  their  prisoners.  The  women  go  to  meet  them  and  strew 
flowers  before  them. 

"Act  4th.    A  Dungeon  in  the  Rock  near  the  Spanish  camp. 

"Act  5th.  Forest  and  Indian  Hut.  Spanish  Outpost.  The 
background  wild  and  rocky  with  a  torrent  falling  down  a  preci 
pice,  over  which  a  bridge  is  formed  by  a  felled  tree.  (The  play 
will  be  given  Wednesday.  Thursday  and  Friday  of  this  week.  To 
which  will  be  added  a  piece  in  one  act  called  The  Oracle.)" 

The  text  used  was  Sheridan's  translation.  It  appears  that 
the  public  was  not  much  attracted  by  the  new  spectacle.  The 
critique  of  the  play,  after  discussing  minutely  the  plot  and  actors, 
concludes  with  this  statement  :64  "On  the  whole  we  will  venture 
the  opinion  that  notwithstanding  the  meagre  houses  of  the  first 
and  second  nights,  Pizarro  will  be  as  great  a  favorite  here  as  it 
has  been  everywhere  else — and  be  considered  as  one  of  the  most 
charming  plays  of  which  our  theatre  is  in  possession." 

The  Monthly  Magazine  of  December,  1800,  prints  a  long  ac 
count  of  the  play  and  also  devotes  some  space  to  Kotzebue. 
"Most  of  the  nations  of  Europe  have  each  their  favourite  dram 
atist  on  whom  they  delight  to  exhaust  the  language  of  praise  and 
admiration.  But  no  dramatist  appears  to  have  gained  so  sudden 
and  extensive  a  reputation  as  Kotzebue.  No  other  has  been  able 
to  command  the  united  suffrages  of  distant  and  different  nations 

M  According  to  the  Commercial  Advertiser,  March  25  (probably  a  mis 
print).  Ireland  and  the  Evening  Post  (N.  Y.)  both  give  March  26,  which 
is  very  likely  the  correct  date. 

"Commercial  Advertiser,  March  31,  1800, 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      35 

in  his  favour.  Centuries  have  elapsed  before  an  author  has  been 
known  outside  of  his  own  country.  His  performances  may  be 
read  by  a  few;  but  to  be  translated  into  different  languages  and 
usurp  the  place  of  native  productions  on  the  theatres  of  other  na 
tions,  is  a  destiny  extraordinary  and  unprecedented.  .  .  .  But 
it  must  be  allowed  that  such  distinguished  fame  and  success  is  no 
small  proof  of  the  talents  of  the  author. 

"In  spite  of  the  censures  of  critics  by  whose  rules  he  has  dis 
dained  to  be  enslaved,  and  the  vehement  disapprobation  of  those 
whose  opinions  and  prejudices  he  has  shocked  by  the  boldness  of 
his  exhibitions,  this  writer  has  succeeded  in  what  to  him  is,  per 
haps,  the  most  pleasing  and  most  profitable,  the  applause  and  ad 
miration  of  the  multitude.  But  popular  favor  is  capricious  and 
it  may  be  fairly  questioned  whether  he  is  to  excite  our  wonder 
and  pass  away  like  a  brilliant  meteor  or  to  remain  a  fixed  lumi 
nary  in  the  literary  horizon.  There  is  sometimes  a  fashion  in  the 
prevailing  opinion  of  the  world,  in  matters  of  literature  and  sci 
ence  as  well  as  in  dress  and  equipage  ;  and  the  present  teutonick 
fashion  of  writing  may  be  as  transient  as  any  other  kind."  Dun- 
lap's  adaptation  of  Sheridan's  translation  is  lauded.  "He  has 
cut  out  many  passages  that  render  the  dialogue  heavy  and  tire 
some.  He  has  also  selected  a  few  of  the  best  passages  from  Mr. 
Sheridan's  translation,  one  of  which  is  the  scene  between  Cora 
and  Alonzo  in  the  beginning  of  the  second  act,  so  exquisitely 
beautiful  and  tender,  we  believe  is  not  in  the  original,  but  is  as 
cribed  to  Mr.  Sheridan.  We  commend  the  judgment  of  Mr.  D. 
in  adhering  to  his  author  in  the  conclusion  of  the  play,  which  is 
greatly  weakened  by  the  change  introduced  by  Mr.  Sheridan."65 

The  play  ran  for  six  successive  nights  (March  26,  27,  28, 
31,  April  2  and  4),  an  unusual  thing  in  those  days. 

April  16  —  "For  the  first  time:  Sighs,  or  The  Daughter, 
translated  from  'Armuth  und  Edelsinn'  of  A.  von  Kotzebue.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  4th  Act  the  Song  of  Ellen  the  Cottager  by 
Miss  E.  Westray."  No  translator  is  mentioned,  but  the  title  is 
that  of  Prince  Hoare's  version,  London,  ijgg.™  Philadelphia 


68  Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Review,  III,  453ff. 
"  Cf.  Wilkens,  No.  57,  P-  173- 


36      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

and  New  York  share  honors  in  bringing  out  this  play — although 
the  Philadelphia  bill  reads  "first  time  in  America".  New  York 
has  an  equal  right  to  that  claim,  since  both  theatres  presented  the 
play  on  the  same  night.67  Philadelphia  had  but  one  perform 
ance — New  York  saw  the  play  for  a  second  time  April  18. 

April  21.  The  Corsicans,  or  The  Dawning  of  Love.  First 
time  in  America.  Translated  from  the  German  of  A.  von  Kot- 
zebue  and  esteemed  equal  to  any  production  of  that  celebrated 
author.  The  piece  was  not  repeated. 

On  April  23  the  sequel  to  The  Stranger,  The  Stranger's 
Birthday,  was  given  as  an  afterpiece  with  Pizarro;  "for  the  ben 
efit  of  the  translator;  Pizarro  in  Peru,  or  The  Death  of  Rolla 
(for  the  last  time  this  season)  translated  from  the  German  by 
W.  Dunlap,  translator  of  The  Stranger,  Count  Benjowsky,  False 
Shame,  Wild  Goose  Chase,  Force  of  Calumny,  Virgin  of  the  Sun, 
Stranger's  Birthday,  etc.,  adapting  in  part  the  alterations  of  Mr. 
Sheridan.  To  which  will  be  added  (never  performed  here  be 
fore)  a  piece  called  The  Stranger's  Birthday,  being  a  sequel  to 
the  very  popular  play  of  The  Stranger,  by  the  same  author,  A. 
von  Kotzebue  and  the  same  translator,  W.  Dunlap.  The  piece 
in  the  original  is  called  'Der  (!)  edle  Luge'.  The  scene  is  in 
Switzerland  on  the  little  island,  Morneau  in  the  Lake  of  Con 
stance."68  This  play  must  not  be  confused  with  Dibden's  adap 
tation  of  "Die  Versohnung"  under  the  title  of  Reconciliation,  or 
The  Birthday.  The  cast  for  The  Stranger's  Birthday  follows : 
Baron  Hochstein  (known  in  the  first  part  under  the  title  of  The 

Stranger),  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Baron  Steinfort,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Francis,  Mr.  Martin. 

Conrad  (the  gamekeeper's  boy),  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Little  Boy,  Master  Stockwell. 

Baroness  (called  in  the  first  part  Mrs.  Haller),Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 
Rose,  Miss  E.  Westray. 

Little  Girl,  Miss  Hodgkinson. 

87  Cf.  Brede,  p.  114.     On  April  16,  Sighs,  etc.,  never  acted  in  America, 
written  by  A.  von  Kotzebue,  was  given. 

"Commercial  Advertiser,  April  23,  1800. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      37 

May  5,  1800.  For  the  first  time  in  New  York,  The  Horse 
and  the  Widow,  a  farce  adapted  by  Dibden  from  Kotzebue.  It 
had  been  previously  given  in  Philadelphia69  (December  16, 
1799).  No  cast  was  published. 

May  28,  1800.  For  the  first  time  in  America,  Johanna  of 
Montfaucon — a  dramatic  romance  in  5  Acts  of  the  i/j-th  Century 
as  performed  at  the  Theatre  Royal,  Covent  Garden,  translated 
from  the  German  of  Kotzebue  and  adapted  to  the  stage  by  R. 
Cumberland. 

Scene  ist.  A  view  of  the  terrace  belonging  to  the  Castle  of 
Thurn. 

Scene  3rd.  A  mountainous  romantic  country  with  practic 
able  passes  and  a  rude  bridge  thrown  over  a  torrent. 

Act  2nd.  A  view  of  the  Castle  of  Thurn  with  moat  and 
drawbridge. 

Scene  3rd.    A  Saxon  Hall  decorated  with  warlike  trophies. 

No  cast  was  given. 

At  the  next  performance,  May  30,  another  "celebrated 
Comedy"  was  given  for  the  first  time  in  America.  This  play  was 
The  Wise  Man  of  the  East,  written  by  Kotzebue70  and  translated 
by  Mrs.  Inchbald;  the  announcement  adds:  "Now  performing 
in  London  with  the  most  unbounded  applause."  It  was  prob 
ably  not  performed  in  Philadelphia.  Rabany  in  his  "Kotzebue, 
Sa  Vie  et  son  Temps"71  identifies  this  play  with  the  play  entitled 
"Die  Indianer  in  England  traduit  en  Anglais  The  Wise  Man  of 
the  East,  a  Play  in  5  Acts.  Mrs.  Inchbald  (Londres,  1799)." 

On  comparing  the  two  plays  it  is  quite  evident  that  he  is 
wrong.  The  Wise  Man  of  the  East  bears  no  resemblance  in  plot 
to  Die  Indianer  in  England,  but  it  does  follow  fairly  closely  the 
plot  of  f(Das  Schreibepult,  oder  Die  Gefahren  der  Jugend,  ein 
Schauspiel  in  vier  Akten.  Leipzig,  i8oo."72 

The  actors  certainly  must  have  been  under  great  strain  in 
committing  their  parts,  for  on  June  2  another  new  play  is  an- 

w  Brede,  p.  109. 

Ta  Cf.   title   of    the    play    in    Mrs.    Inchbald's    "Modern    English    Drama," 
Vol.  7- 

n  Rabany:  Kotzebue,  etc.,  p.  458,  No.  9. 

73  Cf.  for  verification  Genest  "History  of  English  Stage,"  Vol.  7,  p.  473. 


38      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

nounced:  "A  celebrated  Comedy  of  Kotzebue  called  Happy 
Family,  universally  esteemed  the  most  chaste  and  elegant  of  his 
productions."  Neither  cast  nor  translator  is  given.  It  is  in  all 
probability  an  adaptation  of  Die  Silberne  Hochzeit  by  Benjamin 
Thompson,  London,  i^gg.73  This  was  the  last  novelty  of  the 
regular  season  which  ended  June  n,  1800. 

In  all  eighteen  German  plays  were  presented — fourteen  of 
which  were  new.  Out  of  the  total  number  of  performances  (94) 
fifty  were  German.  These  statistics  do  not  include  three  per 
formances  of  The  Siege  of  Belgrade.  Gustav  Vasa,  by  Brooke, 
was  put  on  twice  also.  Of  more  interest  is  the  revival  of  an  old 
English  play  which  perhaps  would  never  have  been  resurrected 
except  for  its  relation  to  Pizarro.  I  refer  to  Arthur  Murphy's 
play  Peru  Revenged,  written  1772-73  and  staged  February  23, 
1773,  at  the  Covent  Garden  Theatre.74 

The  announcement  of  the  play  is  of  value  not  only  because 
of  the  fact  that  it  proves  that  the  Kotzebue  play  drew  audiences, 
but  the  conclusion  gives  a  hint  of  the  growing  dissatisfaction 
caused  by  the  flood  of  German  dramas. 

"On  May  19  will  be  presented  a  Play  called  Peru  Revenged, 
by  Arthur  Murphy.75  Performed  in  London  under  the  name  of 
Alzwma.  This  play  corresponds  as  a  sequel  to  Kotzebue's  cele 
brated  tragedy  of  Pizarro  in  Peru,  or  The  Death  of  Rolla.  The 
magnificent  scenery  painted  for  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  and 
Pizarro  in  Peru  will  be  exhibited  in  this  piece."  Then  follows 
the  note  that  this  is  to  be  Mr.  Hodgkinson's  benefit,  with  the 
quoted  paragraphs :  "That  nothing  might  be  wanting  on  his  part 
to  invite  an  audience,  he  has  selected  a  play  which,  though  not  the 
best  in  the  language,  has  much  genuine  merit;  it  was  written 
long  ago  by  Murphy  and  has  stood  the  test  of  years. 

"It  becomes  particularly  interesting  and  appropriate  at  this 
time  as  it  forms  a  proper  sequel  to  the  very  popular  play  of 
Pizarro. 

"We  cannot  but  commend  the  good  sense  of  Mr.  H.  in  pre 
senting  us  at  length  with  something  which  might  be  called  ster- 

7'C/.  Wilkens,  No.  55,  p.  175. 

74  Cf.  "Dictionary  of  National  Biography,"  Murphy,  Arthur. 

"  Commercial  Advertiser,  May  16  and  19,  1800. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      39 

ling.  For  the  truth  is,  our  stage  has  been  so  inundated  of  late,  I 
had  almost  said  disgraced,  with  the  wretched  productions  of  the 
Holcrofts,  Reynoldses,  Mortons,  Kotzebues  (the  exception  of 
some  few  plays),  that  it  is  time  to  make  a  stand  against  a  torrent 
which  threatens  to  vitiate  not  only  the  taste  but  morals." 

This  is  one  of  the  first  notes  of  protest  against  the  "Kotze- 
bue  rage". 

The  theatre  was  opened  July  4  and  Harlequin  Traveller  rep 
resented.  A  series  of  scenes  were  exhibited — evidently  the  most 
striking  things  the  theatre  could  produce.  The  greater  number 
are  from  Kotzebue  plays  as  follo\vs : 

From  Count  Benyowski: 

Scene  i.   Kamschadale  Hut. 
Scene  2.   Snow  scene  in  Kamschatka. 
Scene  3.   Harbor  of  Bolscheretsk  and  the  Icy  Sea. 
From  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun : 

Scene  9.  A  Grand  Scene  in  Peru  with  a  Sun  Rising. 
Scene   10.   Peruvian  Landscape. 

Scene   n.  House  of  Stars  with  a  procession  of  Peru 
vian  Priests. 
From  Pizarro: 

Scene  12.  The  Palace  of  the  Inca. 
Scene  13.  The  Rock  Scene,  cataract  and  bridge,  to  fin 
ish  with  the  celebrated  scene,  The  Temple  of  the 
Sun. 

The  prolonged  summer  season  at  the  Mount  Vernon  Gar 
den  extended  from  July  9  to  September  17,  under  the  manage 
ment  of  Joseph  Corre.  Among  the  plays  given  were  the  follow 
ing  German  ones :  ( i )  The  Horse  and  the  Widow,  July  16,  with 

this  cast : 

Mr.  Touchwood,        Mr.  Fox. 

Count  sans  Chateau,  Mr.  Hogg. 
Kelruddy,  Mr.  Martin. 

Ferrett,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Peter,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Mrs.  Touchwood,      Miss  Brett 


40      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

It  was  also  given  July  i8.76 

(2)  The  Wildgoose  Chase — September  12  (Mr.  Jefferson's 
Benefit). 

Season  of  1800-1801. 

This  season  brings  fewer  novelties,  but  yet  a  goodly  propor 
tion  of  the  plays  are  German  or  deal  with  subjects  of  German 
origin.  Among  the  plays  represented  we  find  Lovers'  Vows, 
Fraternal  Discord,  The  Robbers,  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  Pizarro, 
Wildgoose  Chase,  Wise  Man  of  the  East,  Happy  Family,  Stran 
ger,  Joanna  of  Montfaucon,  False  Shame,  Force  of  Calumny, 
Abbe  de  I'Epee,  Abaellino  and  the  following  uncertain  plays: 
East  Indian  (Lewis)  and  The  Captive  of  Spilburgh.  The  two 
last  mentioned  are  new — while  of  the  preceding,  Fraternal  Dis 
cord,  The  Happy  Family  and  the  Abbe  de  I'Epee,  all  by  Kotze- 
bue,  are  novelties.  The  only  other  German  author  represented 
is  Zschokke,  whose  Abaellino  der  Grosse  Bandit  made  its  first 
appearance  in  America  February  n,  1801. 

The  season  opened  with  Lovers'  Vows  October  20,  1800, 
with  Hodgkinson  as  Frederick  and  Mrs.  Hodgkinson  as  Amelia. 
It  was  not  repeated  during  the  season. 

October  24 — Fraternal  Discord,  which  Dunlap  considered 
"the  most  meritorious  of  the  many  translations  and  alterations 
which  came  from  his  pen,"77  was  acted.  He  states  it  was  adapted 
from  Kotzebue's  Bruders  Twist,  but  was  made  more  English  par 
ticularly  in  the  prominent  characters  of  Captain  Bertram  and  his 
old  brother,  sailor  and  boatswain,  than  any  of  the  previous  pieces 
from  the  same  source.  Dibden's  version  under  the  title  Recon 
ciliation,  or  The  Birthday,  from  the  drama  Versohnung  of 
Kotzebue,  had  been  given  in  Philadelphia  January  20,  i8oo.77a 

Wilkens  78  assigns  Die  Versohnung,  Leipzig,  1798,  as  the 
original  from  which  Dunlap's  Fraternal  Discord  is  taken.  Goed- 
eke79  does  give  a  drama  Der  Bruderzwist,  Schauspiel,  in  5  Aufz. 

"Wilkens,  p.   117  and  in  Note  8,  mentions  the  performance  of  May  5 
(from  Ireland)  but  fails  to  find  any  record  of  a  second  performance. 
"  Dunlap,  p.  281. 
"•Brede,  p.  no. 
"Wilkens,  No.  132,  p.  190. 
"  Goedeke,  Grundriss,  V.  278,  No.  43a. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      41 

Gratz,  1797.  Rabany80  cites  the  double  title :  Der  Bruderzwist, 
oder  Die  Versohnung. 

The  notice  of  the  play  reads  as  follows :  "Fraternal  Dis 
cord  is  a  translation  from  Kotzebue's  Versohnung,  oder  Brud- 
er's  Twist,  by  Mr.  Dunlap,  and  is  in  our  opinion  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  pieces  of  that  popular  author.  Its  plot  is  simple  and  yet 
sufficiently  abounding  in  incident,  its  moral  is  excellent  and  its 
dialogue  appropriate  and  elegant.  .  .  .  The  Manager  in  his 
translation  appears  to  have  done  justice  to  the  original  and  to 
have  retained  a  due  regard  for  the  English  language  and  the 
taste  of  his  audience.  We  have  read  an  English  translation 
(Dibden  evidently)  under  the  title  of  Reconciliation,  and  an  al 
teration  played  in  London  called  The  Birthday.  It  is  in  vain  to 
look  for  Kotzebue's  play  either  in  the  translation  or  the  altera 
tion  ;  the  first  is  void  of  spirit  and  English ;  the  second  is  almost 
maimed  to  death,  yet  the  portion  of  Kotzebue  which  Mr.  Dib 
den  left  in  the  play  gave  it  considerable  to  the  profit  of  the  Lon 
don  manager  and  the  inhuman  mutilator. 

"To  show  the  gross  ignorance  and  stupidity  of  many  of 
those  translators  from  the  German  who  have  seized  the  pen  and 
dictionary  at  the  instigation  of  hunger  and  the  call  of  fashion,  we 
will  mention  a  passage  in  the  translation  above  noticed  which  we 
confess  afforded  us  no  small  amusement.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  fifth  act,  Captain  Bertram  and  his  old  servant  are  supposed 
to  be  in  a  chamber  above  that  which  the  stage  represents  and  their 
voices  are  heard  by  the  audience  though  their  persons  are  unseen. 
This  the  German  author  marked  by  placing  before  each  of  their 
speeches  the  name  as  usual  and  the  word  'Stimme',  written  short 
'St.'  This  the  translator  rendered  'Hush'  and  makes  the  servant 
and  master  cry  'Hush'  to  each  other  through  the  whole  dia 
logue."81 

The  Wildgoose  Chase,  originally  in  four  acts,  was  gradually 
cut  down  to  two.  It  was  given  in  this  form  December  22.  The 


*°  Rabany-Kotzebue,  p.  466. 

*l  From  the  Theatrical  Register  in  the  Monthly  Magazine  and  American 
Review,  November,  1800. 


42     German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

West  Indian  and  Wild  Goose  Chase  (the  opera  now  reduced  to 
two  acts)  promises  to  be  a  great  favorite.82 

The  Happy  Family,  January  5,  1801,  also  January  9,  "was 
played  (an  English  version)  unsuccessfully."83  The  translation 
was  probably  by  Benjamin  Thompson,  London,  1799,  from  Kot- 
zebue's  Silberne  Hochzeit.84 

The  only  other  new  Kotzebue  play  brought  out  this  season 
was  the  Abbe  de  I'Epee,  March  9,  translated  from  Kotzebue's 
adaptation  of  Bouilly's  French  drama  of  the  same  title.  Dun- 
lap85  speaks  of  it  as  a  play  from  the  French,  although  the  bills  of 
the  day  announce  it  as  a  Kotzebue  play.  The  full  title  was  the 
Abbe  de  I'Epec,  or  The  Dumb  Made  Eloquent.  It  was  successful 
and  was  repeated  many  times  in  the  course  of  years. 

The  great  sensation  of  the  year  was  not  a  drama  by  Kotze 
bue,  but  a  play  given  first  without  the  name  of  the  author  being 
known.  Already  on  December  26,  1800,  the  Evening  Post  pub 
lished  under  the  caption  "Theatrical":  "We  understand  the 
Manager  is  preparing  for  the  stage  a  German  Drama  called 
Abaellino,  which  in  sublimity  is  thought  superior  to  The  Rob 
bers  and  in  its  denouement  to  exceed  The  Stranger.  (T.)"  At 
least  Dunlap  was  not  guilty  in  New  York  of  the  charge  brought 
against  him  by  Seilhamer,  i.  e.,  publishing  and  bringing  out 
Abaellino  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  as  the  best  work  of  Schiller!  "The 
author  is  not  known",  reads  a  communication  in  the  Evening 
Post,  "it  is  not  from  Kotzebue — but  it  may  be  from  Krater."86 

At  the  first  performance  the  roles  of  Abaellino  and  Flodi- 
ardo  were  played  by  Mr.  Hodgkinson,  Rosamond  by  Mrs.  Hodg- 
kinson,  Matheo  and  Parozzi  by  Mr.  Martin,  Iduella  by  Mrs.  Jef 
ferson. 

The  success  of  the  piece  was  great,  both  in  New  York  and 
elsewhere.  It  long  remained  a  favorite  with  the  American  pub 
lic. 


13  New  York  Evening  Post,  December  22,  1800. 

M  Dunlap,  p.  282. 

M  Wilkens,  No.  55,  p.  175. 

•'  Dunlap,  p.  286. 

"Evening  Post,  February  13,  1801. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830     43 

We  will  add  here  one  of  the  earliest  casts  of  The  Robbers 
as  given  June  3,  1801 : 

Maximilian,  Count  de  Moor,          Mr.  Hallam. 
Charles  de  Moor,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Frances  de  Moor,  Mr.  Martin. 

Spiegelberg,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Sweitzer,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Grim,  Mr.  Lee. 

Schufterle,  Mr.  Robinson. 

Roller,  Mr.  Fox. 

Razman,  Mr.  Simpson. 

Hermann,  Mr.  Crosby. 

Commissary,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Daniel,  Mr.  McDonald. 

Robbers,  Mr.  Leonard,  Shapter,  etc. 

Amelia,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

Concerning  the  doubtful  plays,  there  are  but  a  few  words  to 
say.  The  East  Indian  is  said  by  Genest  to  resemble  parts  of  Kot- 
zebue's  Corsicans.  The  scene  between  Rivers  and  Zorayda  has  a 
considerable  resemblance  to  a  scene  between  Wacker  and  Ottilia 
in  Kotzebue's  Corsicans.87 

The  Captive  of  Spilburgh  (March  25,  1801 )  in  the  issue  for 
May  9,  1801,  of  the  Commercial  Advertiser  is  spoken  of  as  al 
tered  from  the  French  Le  Sou  terrain,  or  Camille.  The  cast  is 
subjoined : 

Korowitz,  a  Bohemian  Nobleman,     Mr.  Hodgkinson. 
Canzemar,  his  nephew,  Mr.  Fox. 

Kourakin,  in  service  of  Korowitz,      Mr.  Jefferson. 
Mons.  Mirhoff,  Mr.  Simpson. 

Leibstoff,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Iwan,  son  to  Korowitz,  Master  Stockwell. 

Officer,  Mr.  Shapter. 

Tachsetin,  Mr.  McDonald. 

Kargad,  Mr.  Powell. 

Eugenia,  wife  of  Korowitz,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

Moola,  a  peasant,  Miss  Brett. 

*7  Genest,  7,  4iS- 


44      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Act  ist.  Scene  i.  Snow  scene.  Mountains  and  castle. 
Cloudy  sky.  Clouds  afterward  clear  away  and  disclose  the 
"Moon  in  full  Splendour". 

Act  2nd.  A  ruinous  part  of  the  castle  in  which  Eugenia  is 
confined,  the  upper  part  open  to  the  sky.  Snow  descending. 

I  have  been  unable  to  get  trace  of  the  French  originals.  Gen- 
est  (7,407)  says:  "This  piece  is  attributed  to  Prince  Hoare;  it 
is  professedly  taken  from  the  French." 

Summary. 

Lovers'  Vows,  October  20. 

Fraternal  Discord,0  October  24,  27,  29,  December  19,  29, 
1800,  January  28,  March  21,  1801. 

East  Indian0  (Lewis),  November  17,  19,  1800,  January  2, 
1801. 

Robbers,  June  3,  1801. 

Virgin  of  the  Sim,  November  21,  December  10,  1800,  March 
30,  1801. 

Pizarro,  December  12,  15,  26,  1800,  February  4,  March  18, 
1801. 

Wild  Goose  Chase,  December  19,  22  (2  Acts),  1800,  Janu 
ary  12,  March  20,  1801. 

Wise  Man  of  the  East,0  June  i,  1801. 

The  Happy  Family,  January  5,  9,  1801. 

The  Stranger,  January  16,  1801. 

Joanna  of  Montfaucon,  January  23,  26,  1801. 

False  Shame,  January  30,  March  25,  1801. 

The  Force  of  Calumny,  February  2,  1801. 

Abaellino,0  February  n,  13,  16,  20,  25,  March  2,  n,  April 
10,  June  5,  1801. 

Abbe  de  I'Epee0  March  9,  13,  16,  20,  April  6,  1801. 

Captive  of  Spilburgh,0  March  25,  27,  April  6,  10,  May  13, 
1801. 

Columbus,  April  17,  20,  22,  25,  1801. 

The  summary  of  the  season  shows  14  German  plays  with  44 
performances  out  of  the  106  performances  given  during  the  en 
tire  regular  season.  Morton's  Columbus  was  put  on  four  times. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      45 

Of  the  summer  season  (June  29-July  29)  at  the  Park  and 
also  a  season  (August  5  to  September  28)  at  the  Mount  Vernon 
Gardens,  there  are  but  two  German  plays  to  record : 

The  Force  of  Calumny,  July  22,  and  The  Wild  Goose 
Chase,  August  19. 

Season  of  1801-1802. 

The  German  plays  presented  were :  Lovers'  Vows,  Frater 
nal  Discord,  Where  is  He?,  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  Robbers,  Pizarro, 
Force  of  Calumny,  Abbe  de  I'Epee,  Abaellino,  Modern  Magic, 
Wild  Goose  Chase,  Fiesco,  The  Stranger,  and  Count  Benyowski 
(14).  Three  of  these,  viz.,  Where  is  He?,  Modern  Magic  and 
Fiesco,  are  new. 

Plays  concerning  German  subjects  or  of  German  lineage 
are:  The  Merry  Gardener,0  Adelmorn  the  Outlaw,  Zorinski  ( ?), 
The  Siege  of  Belgrade  and  The  Captive  of  Spilburgh  and  Colum 
bus. 

Lovers'  Vo^vs  opened  the  season  November  16,  Cooper 
playing  the  role  of  Frederick  Fribourgh.  The  first  novelty  ap 
peared  December  2  in  the  afterpiece  entitled  Where  is  He?,  by 
the  manager  from  the  German,  which  was  played  with  success. 
Dunlap89  gives  the  date  of  the  first  performance  December  4, 
which  is  incorrect. 

English  plays  as  Castle  Spectre,  Speed  the  Plough,  The 
Poor  Gentleman  and  above  all  the  spectacle  piece  of  Bluebeard, 
crowd  out  the  once  popular  Kotzebue  plays.  One  new  adaptation 
of  Kotzebue,  however,  is  put  on  under  a  different  title :  Modern 
Magic,  or  The  Writing  Desk.  Whether  Dunlap  had  anything  to 
do  with  the  adaptation,  I  cannot  ascertain.  He  makes  no  men 
tion  of  it  in  his  History.  A  comment  in  the  Commercial  Adver 
tiser^  says :  "Modern  Magic  is  one  of  the  most  successful  ef 
forts  of  Kotzebue's  genius,  and  is  known  in  Germany  under  the 
title  of  The  Writing  Desk.  The  intention  of  the  author  appears 
to  be  in  the  prominent  part  of  the  plot  to  show  the  dangers  to 
which  young  men  of  fortune  are  exposed,  from  the  designs  of 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

**  Dunlap,  p.  293. 

*  Commercial  Advertiser,  January  23,  1802. 


46      German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830 


sharpers.  The  magic  scene  is  very  happily  contrived  by  the 
author — this  part  of  the  plot  gives  rise  to  the  title  under  which 
the  manager  has  brought  it  forward." 

Cast. 

Kotzebue. 
Mr.  Hodgkinson.  Diethelm. 


Dunlap. 
Goodwin, 
Herman, 
Snarp  (Sharp?), 
Mr.  Erlen, 
Ensign  Erlen, 
Baron  Boldenstern, 
Silby, 
Allen, 
Mrs.  Erlen, 
Sophia, 

Countess  of  Apewit, 
Madam  Lupnitz, 
Emily, 


Mr.  Hogg. 
Mr.  Hallam. 
Mr.  Cooper. 
Mr.  Tyler. 
Mr.  Fox. 
Mr.  Martin. 
Mr.  Robinson. 
Mrs.  Melmoth. 
Mrs.  Simpson. 
Miss  Westray. 
Miss  Hogg. 
Miss  Harding. 


Herrmann. 
Flink. 

Rath  Erlen, 
Fahnrich  Erlen. 
Baron  v.  Baldem. 


Rathin  Erlen. 
Ihr  Kind. 
Grafin  Meerwitz. 
Mad.  Luppnitz. 
Ihre  Tochter. 
Also  Hadebrath, 

Hauptmann  v.  Fernan 

Eckstedt. 


The  most  important  production  for  us  is  the  performance 
of  Schiller's  Fiesco  (curtailed),  March  26,  1802.  Cooper  played 
Fiesco,  but  the  drama  was  coldly  received.91  The  cast  was  as  fol 
lows: 

Andreas  Doria,  Duke  of  Genoa,  Mr.  Hallam. 


Giannettino  Doria, 

Fiesco,  Count  of  Lavagna, 

Verrina, 

Bourgognino, 

Calcagno, 

Sacco, 

Zenturione, 

Romano, 

Mully  Hassan,  a  Moor, 
M  Dunlap,  p.  294. 


Mr.  Martin. 
Mr.  Cooper. 
Mr.  Tyler. 
Mr.  Fox. 
Mr.  Hogg. 
Mr.  Wilmot. 
Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 
Mr.  McDonald. 
Mr,  Jefferson. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Nezu  York  Stage  to  1830      47 

Soldiers,  By  Gentlemen  of  the  Company. 

Leonora,  Countess  of  Lavagna,   Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 
Julia  Doria,  Countess  Imj)erialia,Mrs.  Jefferson. 
Rosa,  Miss  Hogg. 

Arabella,  Miss  Harding. 

"Act  3.  A  view  of  the  City  and  Harbor  of  Genoa. 

"Act  4.  A  court  of  the  palace  with  a  view  of  one  wing  of 
the  Palace. 

"Act  5.  The  Gate  of  St.  Thomas  which  being  burst  open  by 
an  attack,  discovers  the  harbors  and  gallies." 

A  second  performance  advertised  for  March  29,  was  post 
poned  to  March  31,  on  account  of  the  illness  of  Mrs.  Hodg 
kinson. 

The  two  new  plays  of  uncertain  origin  are  The  Merry  Gar 
dener  (February  3,  1802)  and  Lewis'  Adelmorn  the  Outlaw 
(February  25,  1802). 

The  former  more  likely  deals  with  a  Spanish  subject,  to 
judge  from  the  cast  of  characters :  Don  Pedro,  Marquis  D'Ory- 
ola,  Count  Aldiviro,  Bruno,  Arpagono,  Gripino,  Caspar,  Leo 
pold,  Servants,  Donna  Elvira,  Leonora. 

Adelmorn  the  Outlaw  (February  25)  presents  a  stronger 
case: 

Sigismond,  Duke  of  Saxony,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Ulric,  Count  of  Bergen,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Adelmorn,  Baron  of  Bergen,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Father  Cyprian,  Mr.  Martin. 

Hugo,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Ludowick,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Hermann,  a  Page,  Miss  Harding. 

Brenno,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Ludolph,  Mr.  McDonald. 

Maurice,  Mr.  Shapter. 

Ghost  of  Roderic,  Mr.  Hallam. 

Imogen,  Princess  of  Saxony,  Mrs.  Hodgkinson. 

Orilla,  Miss  Brett. 

Dame  Breda,  Mrs.  Hogg. 
(In  Act  5  a  Vision.) 


48      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to 

Summary. 

Lovers'  Vows,  November  16,  1801,  June  n,  1802. 

Fraternal  Discord,  November  18,  1801,  January  30,  June 
28,  1802. 

Where  is  Hef°,  December  2,  4,  23,  1801,  January  8,  1802. 

Virgin  of  the  Sun,  December  4,  1801. 

Pizarro,  December  7,  1801,  January  2,  April  20,  1802. 

Force  of  Calumny,  December  9,  1801. 

Abbe  de  I'Epee,  December  n,  1801. 

Abaellino,  December  14,  1801,  January  6,  22,  July  2,  1802. 

Modern  Magic,  or  The  Writing  Desk,0  January  25,  27, 
1802. 

Wild  Goose  Chase,  February  8,  15,  1802. 

Merry  Gardener  (?),°  February  3,  5,  12,  17,  April  9,  1802. 

Adelmorn  the  Outlaw  (?),°  February  25,  26,  29,  March  5, 
22,  April  7,  1802. 

Fie sco,°  March  26,  31,  1802. 

Captive  of  Spilburgh,  April  5,  1802. 

Robbers,  April  9,  1802". 

Count  Benyowski,  May  7,  1802. 

Siege  of  Belgrade  (  ?),  May  26,  1802. 

Zorinski,  May  31,  1802. 

77&£  Stranger,  June  18,  1802. 

Columbus,  January  I,  February  3,  1802. 

In  the  summary  we  note  that  Pizarro  had  three  perform 
ances,  Virgin  of  the  Sun  one,  and  The  Stranger  one.  In  con 
nection  with  the  performance  of  The  Stranger  it  is  of  interest  to 
remark  that  Gluck's  "Ouverture  d'Iphigenie"  was  given  on  the 
same  evening  (June  18,  1802).  The  fourteen  German  plays  had 
twenty-eight  performances,  the  uncertain  or  related  plays  (6) 
had  sixteen.  The  total  number  of  performances  for  the  season 
was  ninety-one. 

The  summer  season  at  the  Mount  Vernon  Garden  lasted 
from  July  6  to  September  27.  No  plays  from  the  German  were 
presented,  unless  The  Comet  (August  20,  1802)  should  reveal 
itself  as  an  adaptation  from  Iffland  or  Kotzebue.  (No  cast  or 
description  that  might  lead  to  its  identification  has  been  found. ) 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      49 

Season  of  1802-1803. 
(October  u,  1802,  to  July  8,  1803.) 

German  plays  presented  this  season  are  as  follows :  Pizarro, 
Fraternal  Discord,  Abaellino,  Peter  the  Great,0  The  Robbers, 
Lovers  Vows,  Wild  Goose  Chase,  The  Blind  Boy,0  The  Tour 
nament,0  The  Stranger,  False  Shame,  and  The  Good  Neighbor;0 
of  uncertain  nature  are  Adclmorn  the  Outlaiv  (Lewis,  Ribbe- 
mont,  or  The  Feudal  Baron0  by  Dunlap  (not  mentioned  by  him) 
and  Retaliation. 

Peter  the  Great  has  not  been  identified  by  either  Brede  or 
Wilkens.  I  feel  that  the  identity  of  the  play  is  certain.  A  short 
note  in  one  of  the  New  York  papers  cites  Babo  as  the  author. 
Among  the  works  of  J.  M.  Babo  is  found  the  historical  play,  Die 
Strelitzen,  which  deals  with  the  conspiracy  of  the  Strelitzes 
against  Peter  the  Great  in  the  year  i6gS.Q2  Of  the  originals  I 
have  thus  far  been  able  to  obtain  only  Dunlap's  alteration  as  per 
formed  at  the  New  York  Theatre ;  the  subjoined  cast  of  Babo's 
play  is  from  the  edition  in  the  Library  of  the  Friedrichs-Wilhelm 
Universitat,  Berlin. 

Dunlap's  title-page  93  cites  no  author ;  it  reads  thus : 

t(Peter  the  Great:  or  /  The  Russian  Mother  /  a  Play  /  in 
5  Acts.  /  Altered  from  the  German  /  By  William  Dunlap.  /  As 
performed  at  the  New  York  Theatre./  N.  Y.  /  Published  by 
David  Longworth  /  Mar.  1814." 

The  casts  of  the  Dunlap  alteration  are  compared  to  the  Ger 
man  : 

Dunlap94  Babo95 

Peter,  Czar  of  Russia         Mr.  Cooper  Peter  Alexievicz,  Czaar 

von  Russland 

Count  Prestoff  Prigmore  Ein  Minister 

Gen.  Arkum  Hallam,  Jr.  Ein  General 

Col.  Suderow  "     Tyler  Ossakof 

Sophia  Suderow  Mrs.  Whitlock  Maria  Paulovna  Ossakova 


0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

"  "Deutsche  National  Literatur,"  Bd.  138,  Einleitung,  S.  14. 

83  From  a  Prompter's  Copy  in  the  New  York  Public  Library. 

M  Cast  from  Prompt  Copy  and  New  York  Evening  Post,  November  15, 
1802. 

65  Cast  from  Copy  in  the  Library  of  the  University  of  Berlin :  "Die 
Strelitzen  /  Schauspiel  in  vier  Aufziigen  /  von  J.  M.  Babo.  /  Neue  verbes- 


50      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Iwan  Suderow                        Mr.  Martin  Fedor  Ossakof,  ihr  Sohn 
Chev.  d'Elleville                      "     Hogg  Ein  Officier 
Suchanin                                    "     Fennell  Suchanin 
Orloff                                         "     Hodgkinson  Prostoserdof 
Strelitzes  and  Guards           Men  of  the  Com 
pany  Strelitzen,  Wache 

Scene:  Moscow  Die  Begebenheit  trug  sich 

in  Moskowa  zu. 

(Until  copies  of  both  plays  can  be  carefully  compared  the 
identification  has  an  element  of  uncertainty  still.) 

The  Good  Neighbor  was  performed  February  28,  1803.  No 
cast  was  given.  Dunlap's  title-page  states  that  it  was  altered 
from  a  scene  of  Iffland's.96  It  may  be  possibly  from  Iffland's 
Nachbarschaft. 

One  new  Kotzebue  play  also  appears,  The  Blind  Boy,  al 
tered  from  Kotzebue's97  Das  Epigram  by  Dunlap.  He  began  the 
translation  December  26,  1802,  and  the  first  performance  took 
place  March  30,  1803.  The  first  cast  was: 

Don  Gaspar  Leone,  Mr.  Johnson. 

Don  Montefogo,  Mr.  Hogg. 

Major  Sydenham,  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Pedro  (the  Blind  Boy),  Mrs.  Johnson. 

Dr.  Santoldo,  Mr.  Martin. 

Oliveiro,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Carlos,  Mr.  Jefferson. 

Donna  Margarette  Leone,  Mrs.  Hogg. 

Donna  Isabella,  Miss  Hodgkinson. 

Frederica,  Mrs.  Hallam. 

Louisa,  Mrs.  Jefferson. 

Another  hitherto  unidentified  play  is  The  Tournament, 
given  April  19,  1803,  for  the  first  time  in  America  and  perhaps 
for  the  first  time  on  any  stage.  A  glance  at  the  cast  and  stage 
setting  will  tell  one  that  it  is  the  story  of  Agnes  Bernauer. 

serte  und  rechtmassige  Anflage.  /  Berlin  in  der  Vossischen  Buchhandlung.  / 
1793- 

841  Dunlap's  Works,  Vol.  II,  No.  4.  "The  Good  Neighbor  /  An  Inter 
lude  /  Altered  from  a  Scene  in  Iffland's." 

"Das  Epigram,  Lustspiel  in  4  Akten.  Leipzig,  1801.  (Goedeke  V,  280, 
No.  66.) 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      51 

Ernst,  Duke  of  Bavaria,  Mr.  Hallam. 

Albert,  his  son  (Prince  of  Bavaria),  Mr.  Hodgkinson. 

Thorring,  Mr.  Tyler. 

Eberhard,  Viceroy  of  Straubing,  Mr.  Fennell. 

Seybelstorf,  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr. 

Emershof,  Mr.  Shapter. 
Zenger, 

Oswald,   President,  First  Marshall,  Noblemen,  Esquires,   Her 
alds,  Marshalls,  Crusaders,  Officers  and  Soldiers. 

AGNES,  Mrs.  Johnson. 

"Act  I.  Nuptial  procession  of  Albert  and  Agnes  in  the  Cas 
tle  of  Albert,  near  Ratisbon. 

"Act  II.  A  square,  ornamented  and  prepared  for  the  Tour 
nament.  Procession  of  Knights,  Marshalls,  Heralds,  Esquires, 
Crusaders  to  appropriate  music  after  the  manner  of  the  melo- 
drame. 

"In  the  last  Act  will  be  exhibited  a  Superb  Bridge  over  the 
Danube  with  a  procession,  etc.,  to  the  execution  of  Agnes." 

The  Morning  Chronicle  of  Monday,  March  25,  1803,  con 
tains  the  following  long  resume  of  the  plot : 

"This  splendid  dramatic  entertainment  was  exhibited  for 
the  first  time,  on  Wednesday  evening  to  a  numerous  and  fash 
ionable  audience.  We  shall  not  give  more  than  the  mere  outline 
of  the  plot. 

"Albert,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Bavaria,  has  privately  espoused 
Agnes,  who  is  of  supposed  plebeian  origin.  While  celebrating 
his  nuptials,  at  his  castle  near  Ratisbon,  Eberhard,  Viceroy  of 
Straubing,  arrives  with  a  message  from  the  Duke  requesting  the 
attendance  of  Albert  at  a  tournament  to  be  held  at  Ratisbon  in 
honor  of  his  kinsman,  Thorring,  who  has  just  returned  from  the 
Crusades.  It  appears  that  Eberhard  has  long  entertained  a  pas 
sion  for  Agnes,  and  finding  her  wedded  to  Albert,  determines  to 
surprise  his  castle  while  he  is  absent  at  the  tournament  and  carry 
off  his  bride. 

"At  the  tournament  Albert  is  refused  admittance  within  the 
lists,  on  account  of  his  marrying  a  plebeian.  He  dissolves  the 
tourney  in  anger,  and,  by  a  blow  with  the  flat  of  his  sword,  de- 


52      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

grades  Eberhard,  who  had  used  reproachful  language  towards 
him,  from  the  honors  of  knighthood.  The  Duke  as  a  punish 
ment  imposes  the  same  disgrace  upon  Albert  by  striking  him 
with  his  hand.  Eberhard  retires  expressing  his  firm  determina 
tion  of  revenge. 

"Albert  entreats  his  father  to  retract  his  act  of  dishonor, 
and  to  acknowledge  Agnes ;  on  the  Duke's  refusal,  he  determines 
to  resort  to  arms  for  redress,  and  claims  the  assistance  of  the 
knights,  several  of  whom  enlist  in  his  cause. 

"After  his  departure,  Thorring  offers  his  services  to  the 
Duke,  to  repair  to  Albert's  castle  with  his  troops,  and  bring  off 
Agnes  prisoner — his  proposals  are  accepted. 

"He  storms  the  castle  of  Albert,  but  in  an  interview  with 
Agnes,  discovers  her  to  be  his  daughter;  while  embracing  her 
with  paternal  affection,  Eberhard  abruptly  enters,  and  mistaking 
him  for  a  favored  rival,  attacks  and  wounds  him  mortally  and 
carries  the  lady  off  in  triumph. 

"Agnes  is  closely  confined  at  Ratisbon — Eberhard  enraged 
at  her  resistance  of  his  dishonourable  attempts,  has  her  con 
demned  to  death,  but  at  the  moment  at  which  the  sentence  is  to 
be  executed,  by  plunging  her  from  a  lofty  bridge  into  the  Danube, 
Albert  and  his  followers  rush  to  the  bridge  and  rescue  her.  The 
fate  intended  for  her,  becomes  the  punishment  of  Eberhard. 

"The  wounded  Thorring  is  brought  in,  who  proclaims  Agnes 
to  be  his  daughter,  and  expires.  The  play  ends  with  the  neces 
sary  reconciliation. 

"The  principal  entertainment  of  the  piece  arises  from  the 
splendour  and  novelty  of  the  scenery,  dresses,  decorations,  etc. 
The  dialogue  will,  in  several  instances,  receive  advantage  from 
curtailment. 

"The  tournament  in  the  second  Act  is  got  up  in  a  style  of 
splendour  that  does  credit  to  the  spirit  of  the  manager,  and  the 
taste  of  those  who  had  the  immediate  direction.  It  is  concluded 
with  great  attention  to  ancient  usage.  Lists  are  regularly 
formed.  Heralds  and  judges  are  regularly  stationed  and  the 
Duke  with  the  lords  and  ladies  of  the  court  take  their  seats  in  the 
elevated  and  appropriate  stations.  Several  knights  armed  cap-a- 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      53 

pie,  being  announced  by  trumpets  in  due  form  enter,  preceded  by 
their  heralds,  and  followed  by  esquires  bearing  their  shields  and 
lances.  A  challenge  being  given  by  throwing  tiie  gauntlet,  is 
immediately  accepted,  and  the  jousts  commence  with  a  combat 
between  two  of  the  knights. 

"The  armour  of  the  knights  is  very  handsomely  fancied  and 
executed,  resembling  silver,  gold  and  polished  steel.  Indeed  the 
dresses,  decorations  and  management,  form  a  spectacle  both 
novel  and  entertaining;  and  are  calculated  to  recall  the  descrip 
tions  of  those  scenes, 

"  'In  rough  magnificence  arrayed, 
When  ancient  chivalry  displayed 
The  pomp  of  its  heroic  games ; 
When  mailed  chiefs  and  tissued  dames 
Assembled  at  the  clarion's  call/ 

"The  combat  wras  managed  with  much  skill  and  address  by 
Mr.  Martin  and  Mr.  Hallam,  Jr.  Mrs.  Johnson  as  Agnes,  looked 
and  acted  with  her  usual  elegance  and  grace.  The  character  is 
the  most  striking  in  the  tragedy,  and  it  acquires  much  additional 
value  from  the  interesting  manner  in  which  she  personates  it. 

"Mr.  Fennell  gave  appropriate  character  to  Eberhard,  but 
we  must  caution  him  against  a  habit  of  mouthing  his  words, 
which  greatly  injures  the  distinctness  of  his  articulation.  We 
must  also  recommend  to  Mr.  Hodgkinson  attention  to  avoid  laps 
ing  into  that  measured  declamatory  delivery  of  which  he  has  of 
late  so  much  corrected.  The  tone  of  voice  may  be  made  earnest, 
impressive  and  energetic  without  deviating  too  far  from  that 
used  in  real  life. 

"Mr.  Tyler  in  Thorring  played  respectably  and  died  hard. 
The  merit  or  demerit  of  the  latter  circumstance  belongs  to  the 
author.  After  his  wound  in  the  4th  Act  it  was  supposed  he  could 
not  live  a  moment ;  but  when  he  was  found  lingering  in  the  5th, 
bets  were  two  to  one  in  his  favor.  By  the  way,  Eberhard  ap 
pears  to  profess  the  gift  of  second  sight, — if  we  mistake  not  he 
sees  the  ghost  of  Thorring  some  time  previous  to  the  old  gentle 
man's  decease. 


54      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

"The  play  contains  many  striking  incidents  and  interesting 
situations,  which,  aided  by  the  splendid  scenery  and  decorations, 
produced  a  very  pleasing  effect  on  the  audience  and  were  re 
ceived  with  much  applause. 

"The  tournament  scene  we  have  already  noticed — that  ex 
hibiting  a  bridge  over  the  Danube  was  also  strikingly  handsome, 
and  does  credit  to  the  abilities  of  Mr.  Ciceri.  The  armors  and 
equipment  of  the  knights  which  were  admirably  constructed,  are, 
we  are  informed,  the  production  of  Mr.  Martin's  taste  and  inge- 
nuity.  "M." 

No  author  is  mentioned,  nor  is  it  even  hinted  that  this  is  a 
translation.  A  prompter's  copy  in  the  New  York  Public  Library 
has  the  following  title-page: 

"The  Tournament  /  a  /  Tragedy  /  imitated  from  /  the  Cel 
ebrated  German  Drama  /  Entitled  /  Agnes  Bernauer  /  which 
was  written  /  By  a  Nobleman  of  High  Rank  /  and  founded  on  a 
fact  /  that  occurred  in  Bavaria  about  the  year  1435. 

"By  Mariana  Stark  /  Author  of  The  Widow  of  Malabar, 
&c.  / 

"As  performed  at  the  New  York  Theatre  /  From  the 
Prompt  Book  /  By  the  permission  of  the  Manager  /  Published 
by  David  Longworth  /  At  the  Shakespeare  Gallery  /  L.  Nichols' 
Print  1803." 

The  German  Nobleman  of  High  Rank  referred  to  is  Graf 
von  Thorring  (1753-1836)  and  the  play  which  is  "imitated"  is 
his  Agnes  Bernauerin,  printed  in  1780,  which  immediately  be 
came  very  popular  and  was  always  a  drawing  card  at  the  Ger 
man  theatres  until  i82O.98  Miss  Stark  has  changed  the  role  of 
Thorring  and  made  the  end  a  happy  one  and  not  the  tragic  close 
which  we  have  in  v.  Thorring's  drama.  None  ot  the  biograph 
ical  notices  concerning  Mariana  Stark  intimate  the  exact  source 
of  her  play.  Baker  in  his  "Biographica  Dramatica"  says  it  is  an 
imitation  of  "a  German  play  called  Agnes  Bernauer"  and  adds 
that  it  was  never  acted." 


Cf.  "Deutsche  National  Literatur,"  Bd.  138,  Einl.  S.  9. 
Biographica  Dramatica,  III,  p.  345,  under  Tournament, 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      55 

The  cast  of  the  German  play100  shows  a  more  detailed  list  of 
characters : 

Agnes  Bernauerin 

Ernst,  Herzog  zu  Baiern-Munchen 

Albrecht,  sein  Sohn,  Herzog  und  Graf  zu  Voheburg 

Georg  v.  Gundelfingen,  Hofmeister 

Werner  Seibelstorfer,  Kammermeister 

Der  Vicedom  zu  Straubing 

Oswald  Tuschenhauser,  Kanzler 


Hans  Preisinger 


Rate 


Wilhelm  Maxelrainer 
Hans  Piezemauer 
Ortolf  Sandizeller 
Kaspar  von  Tore 

Hans  Zenger,  Pfleger  zu  Voheburg   )   . 

r>      .r  1  T  t  Albrechts  Freunde 

Percifal  Zenger  j 

Stephen  v.  Emershofen,  wurttembergischer  Ritter 

Kaspar  v.  Thorringer,  bayerischer  Ritter 

Der  Biirgermeister  und  Rate  v.  Straubing 

Fiirsten  und  Ritter  auf  dem  Turniere 

Agnesens  Frauen  Knechte  und  Wachen  Volk 

This  exhausts  the  list  of  new  German  plays  for  the  season. 
Lewis'  Adelmorn,  which  shows  a  German  cast  and  plays  in  Sax 
ony,101  has  been  mentioned  in  the  preceding  season.  Ribbemont 
by  Dunlap  was  brought  out  January  31,  but  was  not  successful. 
It  is  distinctly  under  the  influence  of  the  Horror  dramas  and  the 
Storm  and  Stress  movement.  Concerning  its  reception  the  fol 
lowing  comment  is  enlightening:  "We  recognize  in  Ribbemont 
a  play  brought  forward  at  our  theatre  two  or  three  years  since 
under  the  title  of  The  Mysterious  Monk, — and  laid  on  the  shelf 
after  the  second  performance.  We  hope  it  will  resume  its  old 
station."102  Concerning  the  play  Retaliation  nothing  definite 
has  been  found. 


mD.  N.  L.,  Bd.  138. 

161  Genest,  VII,  p.  505. 

™  Evening  Post,  February  2,  1803. 


56      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Sentiment  was  growing  strong  against  the  German  plays,  as 
appears  from  an  article  in  the  Morning  Chronicle  of  December 
13,  1802,  apropos  of  Dunlap's  new  play  The  Italian  Father:  "We 
have  inquired  and  can  assert  on  the  authority  of  the  Manager 
that  the  comedy  The  Italian  Father  is  not  German.  This  we  do, 
that  the  English  prejudices  against  what  is  called  elegantly 
'German  Stuff'  may  not  operate  against  this  play."  At  the  same 
time  a  defense  of  the  German  drama  is  attempted.  After  dis 
cussing  the  decay  of  the  English  drama  in  the  '705,  '8os  and 
'905,  the  author  of  the  article  continues :  "Germany  outshone 
all  other  parts  of  the  Old  World  as  the  full  moon  does  the  twink 
ling  star.  .  .  .  The  managers  heard  of  Schiller,  Kotzebue,  Iff- 
land,  of  Gathe  (sic!),  Wieland  and  Babo.  The  paltry  play 
wrights  of  the  day  found  it  necessary  to  bestir  themselves  and 
the  Reynolds',  Knights',  Mortons'  and  Dibdens'  joined  in  writ 
ing  down  'German  stuff' ;  it  was  immoral ;  it  was  anti-monarchial 
and  at  last — though  nothing  else  could  attract  the  public  attention, 
they  asserted,  and  by  dint  of  perseverance,  gained  credit  that  it 
was  dull. 

"To  complete  the  effect,  unfortunately  for  German  genius- 
it  was  expressed  in  a  language  unknown  to  the  English  public, 
and  Sheridan,  Cumberland,  Inchbald  and  Dibden  combining  to 
misrepresent  it,  by  what  was  termed  dressing  up  German  plays; 
at  length  interested  dulness  created  a  prejudice  and  was  triumph 
ant." 

A  review  of  Abaellino103  contains  a  note  of  adverse  criticism 
also.  The  writer  is  trying  to  account  for  the  continued  interest 
in  the  play:  "These  transitions  (of  Abaellino)  awaken  curios 
ity  and  keep  it  alive  to  the  very  close,  though  without  being 
gratified.  The  surprise  which  has  been  excited  by  the  singular 
conduct  of  Abaellino  is  not  removed  by  any  satisfactory  explan 
ation,  and  the  character  in  many  material  parts  is  left  altogether 
inconsistent  with  itself.  In  a  moral  point  of  view  the  piece  has 
little  to  recommend  it;  indeed  it  is  in  this  respect  scarcely  free 


Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Review,  II,  476  (1802). 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      57 

from  objection ;  however,  it  abounds  with  incidents  so  full  of 
effect  and  excites  so  much  expectation  that  it  will  long  continue 
to  please  both  in  perusal  and  representation." 

The  public,  too,  was  not  supporting  the  theatre  as  liberally 
as  previously.  There  are  many  complaints  of  "thin  audiences" 
and  the  manager  was  often  reported  as  losing  money.  The  ap 
peals  to  the  public  seem  to  have  had  but  little  effect.  "The 
plays  would  meet  with  much  encouragement — could  our  refined 
circles  deprive  themselves  of  one  evening's  attendance  at  balls 
and  card  parties."104 

Washington  Irving  writing  under  the  nom  de  plume  "Jona 
than  Oldstyle"  for  the  Morning  Chronicle,  1803,  gives  interest 
ing  descriptions  of  the  theatre,  manners  and  performances — per 
haps  exaggerated,  yet  undoubtedly  containing  a  grain  of  truth. 
We  quote  here  but  a  short  extract :  "I  observed  that  every  part 
of  the  house  has  its  different  department.  The  good  folks  of  the 
gallery  have  all  the  trouble  of  ordering  the  music  (their  direc 
tions,  however,  are  not  more  frequently  followed  than  they  de 
serve).  The  mode  by  which  they  issue  their  mandates  is  by 
stamping,  roaring,  whistling  and  when  the  musicians  are  refrac 
tory,  groaning  in  cadence.  They  also  have  the  privilege  of  de 
manding  a  boiv  from  John  (by  which  name  they  designate  every 
servant  at  the  theatre  who  enters  to  move  a  table  or  snuff  a  can 
dle)  ;  and  of  detecting  those  cunning  dogs  who  peep  from  be 
hind  the  curtain. 

"  'My  friend,'  said  I  (to  the  countryman  who  had  complained 
of  candle-grease  falling  on  his  coat)  'we  must  put  up  with  a  few 
trifling  inconveniences  when  in  the  pursuit  of  pleasure.'  'True,' 
said  he,  'but  I  think  I  pay  pretty  dear  for  it;  first  to  give  six 
shillings  at  the  door,  and  to  have  my  head  battered  with  rotten 
apples  and  my  coat  spoiled  by  candle-grease;  by  and  by  I  shall 
have  my  other  clothes  dirtied  by  sitting  down,  as  I  perceive  every 
body  mounted  on  the  benches.  I  wonder  if  they  could  not  see 
as  well  if  they  were  all  to  stand  upon  the  floor.' 


104 Morning  Chronicle  (N.  Y.),  February  5,  1803. 


58      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

"Here  I  could  no  longer  defend  our  customs,  for  I  could 
scarcely  breathe  while  thus  surrounded  by  a  host  of  strapping 
fellows  standing  with  their  dirty  boots  on  the  seats  of  the  benches. 
The  little  Frenchman  who  thus  found  a  temporary  shelter  from 
the  missive  compliments  of  his  gallery  friends,  was  the  only  per 
son  benefited.  At  last  the  bell  again  rung,  and  the  cry  of  'Down, 
down — hats  off/  was  the  signal  for  the  commencement  of  the 
play." 

Such  was  the  theatre  in  New  York  in  1803. 

Summary  for  the  Season  1802-1803. 
Pizarro,  November  3,  1802,  April  n,  1803. 
Fraternal  Discord,  November  5,  1802,  March  26,  1803. 
Abaellino,  November  12,  1802,  April  15,  1803. 
Peter  the  Great,0  November  15,  19,  1802. 
The  Robbers,  December  10,  1802. 
Lovers'  Vows,  December  20,  1802. 
Wild  Goose  Chase,  January  28,  February  4,  1803. 
The  Blind  Boy,0  March  30,  April  i,  13,  1803. 
The  Tournament,0  April  19,  22,  25,  May  2,  6,  30,  1803. 
The  Stranger,  June  20,  1803. 
False  Shame,  June  29,  1803. 

The  Good  Neighbor0  February  28,  March  9,  21,  May  30, 
1803. 

Adelmorn  (?),  October  n,  1802. 
Columbus,  December  30,  1802. 
Wheel  of  Fortune,  January  6,  1803. 
Ribbemont  (?),  January  31,  1803. 
Retaliation  ( ?),  March  4,  7,  1803. 

The  summary  of  the  season  shows  twelve  German  plays 
with  twenty-seven  performances.  The  last  five  of  the  list  are  un 
certain  and  do  not  figure  in  this  total.  The  whole  number  of  per 
formances  during  the  season  was  118.  The  decrease  of  the  pop 
ularity  of  the  German  dramas  is  very  marked ;  in  the  next  follow 
ing  years  German  does  not  play  a  great  role  on  the  New  York 
stage.  The  English  mystery  pieces  and  dramas  founded  on 
"Tales  of  Horror"  are  now  in  the  foreground. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      59 

Season  of  1803-1804. 
(November  14,  1803,  to  July  4,  1804.) 

The  German  plays  given  are :  The  Stranger,  The  Good 
Neighbor,  The  Tournament,  Pizarro,  and  The  Glee  From  the  Red 
Cross  Knights™*  No  new  translations  were  put  on. 

A  number  of  dramas  which  show  a  German  character  or 
characters  in  the  cast  appears.  Although  they  are  of  very  small 
importance,  for  the  sake  of  completeness  they  are  listed :  ( i ) 
The  Maid  of  Bristol,  two  characters  of  which  are  German :  Lin- 
dorf  and  Stella.  The  author  is  Boaden.  (2)  Raymond  and  Ag 
nes,  a  pantomime  based  on  M.  G.  Lewis'  Monk.  (3)  Lewis  of 
Monteblanco,  by  Dunlap,  depicts  an  Irishman  in  Switzerland. 
(4)  The  Wife  of  Two  Husbands,1^  a  translation  by  Dunlap 
from  the  French  of  M.  Guilbert  Pixericourt.  Cobb's  play  taken 
from  the  same  source  as  Dunlap's  is  discussed  by  Genest,  7,  60 1. 

Although  it  is  a  drama  from  the  French,  several  German 
characters  appear  in  the  cast : 

Count  Belrlor,  Mayor  Goltz,  Rinaldo,  Armagh,  Baron  Wer 
ner,  Isidore  Frits,  Theodore,  Walter,  Countess,  Lilla,  Rosalie 
and  Eugenia. 

Dimond's  Gustav  Wasa107  and  Morton's  Columbus  were 
put  on  during  the  year. 

105  The  drama  Red  Cross  Knights  is  founded  on  Schiller's  Rduber.  Hoi- 
man  in  his  Preface  says :  "that  he  had  adapted  The  Robbers  to  the  English 
stage  and  that  it  was  refused  a  license.  He  acknowledges  that  on  dispas 
sionate  investigation,  he  found  much  to  justify  the  licenser's  decision."  He 
adds:  "Still  unwilling  wholly  to  abandon  a  favorite  object,  I  determined  on 
forming  a  play  which  should  retain  as  much  as  possible  of  the  original  with 
the  omission  of  all  that  could  be  deemed  objectionable."  Genest,  7,  454. 

10*  Wife  of  Two  Husbands — Drama  in  five  Acts,  as  performed  at  the  New 
York  Theatre.  By  W.  Dunlap,  Esq. 

New  York,  1804.  Copy  in  the  Clothier  Collection  of  American  Drama  in 
the  Library  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

10T  Genest,  7,  570-71.     The  title  is  cited  on  the  play-bills  as  The  Hero  of 
the  North.    The  first  New  York  performance  was  with  the  following  cast: 
Gustav  Vasa  Fennel 

Casimir  Rubenski  Hallam,  Jr.         Iwan  Shapter 

Carlowitz  Martin  Vilitski  Basilstern 

Uso  Hallam  Sentry  Sanderson 

Brennomar  Harper  Santa  Michelwinz         Mrs.  Melmoth 

Sigismund  of  Calmar         Tyler  Princess  Gunilda  Mrs.  Johnson 

Gabriel  Johnson  Petrowna  Mrs.  Pettit 

Markoff  Harwood  Alexa  Mrs.  Claude 

Ulrica  Mrs.  Darby 


60      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Summary  of  the  Season. 

The  Stranger,  December  22,  30,  1803. 

The  Good  Neighbor,  January  2,  1804. 

The  Tournament,  January  27,  1804. 

Pizarro,  March  16,  April  7,  14,  1804. 

Glee  from  The  Red  Cross  Knights,  May  21,  1804. 

Maid  of  Bristol,  December  9,  1803. 

Raymond  and  Agnes,  January  16,  18,  20,  27,  1804. 

Wife  of  Two  Husbands,  April  4,  5,  9,  n,  16,  1804. 

Gitstav  Wasa,  May  7,  9,  1804. 

Columbus,  May  28,  1804. 

Lm'w-  of  Monteblanco,108  March  12,  19,  April  2,  13,  1804. 

The  total  shows  but  four  German  plays  (not  including  the 
Glee)  with  seven  performances. 

English  farces  and  melodramas  drive  out  the  German  plays. 
In  addition  the  manager  was  losing  money — in  fact  the  theatre 
was  closed  from  February  24  until  March  5  and  then  again  until 
March  12.  The  great  day  of  Kotzebue  was  past  and  Dunlap  was 
forced  to  play  to  the  taste  of  the  public,  though  he  felt  this  a  task 
rather  than  a  pleasure. 

Season  of  1804-1805. 
(October  22,  1804,  to  July  10,  1805.) 

This  season  marks  the  close  of  the  term  of  management  by 
William  Dunlap.  The  ideals  and  the  enthusiasm  which  spurred 
him  on  in  his  first  years  had  vanished.  He  looked  upon  his  work 
as  a  failure,  all  his  endeavors  fruitless.  He  writes:  "After  a 
struggle  of  years  against  the  effects  of  the  yellow  fever  and  all 
the  curses  belonging  to  the  interior  of  an  establishment  badly  or 
ganized  when  he  found  it,  the  manager's  health  yielded  to  disap 
pointment  and  incessant  exertion  and  his  struggles  became  pro 
portionately  fainter."1083 

The  only  bright  period  of  the  year  is  the  engagement  of 
Cooper  from  November  19  to  December  17.  Shortly  after  that 
the  Park  Theatre  was  closed  (January  5  to  February  i),  but 

loa  Since  this  play  does  not  show  any  German  influence  of  literary  value,  it 
will  be  omitted  from  the  discussions. 
10»a  Dunlap,  p.  326. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      61 

during  that  time  the  Bedlow  Street  Theatre  was  opened  and  gave 
plays  rather  irregularly  until  February  5. 

February  22  Dunlap's  reign  ended.  Henceforth  his  influ 
ence  is  not  felt  directly  in  the  drama  on  the  New  York  stage,  yet 
his  relations  are  not  entirely  cut  off  and  it  is  highly  possible  that 
some  of  the  later  German  plays  which  are  put  on  in  New  York 
were  suggested  by  the  erstwhile  manager  who  never  lost  his  love 
and  interest  for  things  theatrical.  His  experiment  with  Kotze- 
bue  had  not  come  up  to  his  expectations  and  the  faith  that  the 
theatre  could  accomplish  a  great  mission  when  it  must  cater  to 
public  taste  and  depend  upon  that  same  public  for  its  support, 
was  lost. 

Johnson  and  Tyler  assumed  the  directorship  of  the  Park 
Theatre,  which  was  reopened  March  4,  1805.  During  this  sea 
son  Lovers'  Voivs,  Pizarro,  Abaellino,  The  Stranger,  and  the 
Glee  from  the  Red  Cross  Knights  represent  the  German  element. 

Of  the  uncertain  plays  Guilty  or  Not  is  said  by  Genest  (7, 
629)  to  be  of  English  origin,  being  founded  on  a  novel  called 
"The  Reprobate",  and  has  nothing  to  do  with  Kotzebue's  Die 
Schuldlose.  The  Wife  of  Two  Husbands,  Wheel  of  Fortune, 
Raymond  and  Agnes  have  been  mentioned.  The  list  of  new 
plays  includes  Matrimony,  Valentine  and  Orson,  La  Fille  d'Hun- 
garie  and  Oberon,  or  The  Siege  of  Mexico. 

Matrimony  is  an  adaptation  by  Kenney  said  to  be  taken 
from  the  French,  but  the  cast  has  German  characters  and  plays 
in  Germany.  Baron  de  Limburg,  CXCloghorty  (his  game 
keeper),  Delaval,  Clara  and  Lizette  are  the  characters.  The  ac 
tion  takes  place  at  the  Castle  of  Limburg  near  Berlin.  Valen 
tine  and  Orson  is  of  interest  in  that  it  deals  with  an  early  period 
of  Prankish  history.  It  is  also  undoubtedly  of  French  origin. 
The  cast  shows  Pepin,  King  of  France,  Henry,  Orson,  a  Wild 
Man,  Peers  of  France,  Alexander,  Emperour  of  Greece,  etc.  La 
Fille  d'Hungarie  has  a  cast  of  almost  all  German  names.  Con 
cerning  Oberon,  or  The  Siege  of  Mexico,  no  mention  has  been 
found  anywhere  except  the  short  announcement  in  the  Evening 
Post.  From  that  it  appears  that  Oberon  is  the  "Protector  of 
Mexico". 


62      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Summary.    (Season  1804-1805.) 

Lovers   Vows,  December  3,  1804. 

Pizarro,  December  14,  1804,  July  4,  1805. 

Abaellino,  February  8,  15,  1805. 

The  Stranger,  February  19,  1805.  (Bedlow  Street  The 
atre.  ) 

Glee  from  the  Red  Cross  Knights,  June  21,  1805. 

Guilty  or  Not  (?),  November  16,  1804. 

Wife  of  Two  Husbands,  November  14,  1804. 

Raymond  and  Agnes,  November  28,  1804.  • 

Wheel  of  Fortune,  November  28,  1804. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  April  15,  16,  18,  19,  24,  May  i,  3,  10, 
1805. 

Matrimony,  May  17,  June  12,  1805. 

La  Fille  d'Hungarie,  May  24,  1805. 

Oberon,  or  The  Siege  of  Mexico,  June  5,  1805. 

Total  four  German  plays  having  six  performances  plus  the 
Glee. 

CHAPTER  III. 

In  the  season  immediately  following  the  retirement  of  Wil 
liam  Dunlap  as  manager  of  the  New  York  Theatre,  the  German 
element  almost  vanishes.  This  was  not  necessarily  the  conse 
quence  of  the  change  in  management,  but  perhaps  had  been  com 
ing  gradually  for  a  number  of  years.  The  taste  changed  and 
France  now  became  the  nation  which  supplied  the  stage  with 
comedies  and  operas. 

Season  of  1805-1806. 
(November  18,  1805,  to  July  4,  1806.) 
This  season  has  less  German  plays  than  any  of  the  preced 
ing  ones  of  the  nineteenth  century.    But  three  dramas  are  rep 
resented :     Abaellino,  Pizarro  and  The  Stranger — in  four  per 
formances.     Of  the  uncertain  plays,  Valentine  and  Orson  was 
put  on  once. 

During  the  summer  season  (July  9  to  August  29)  no  Ger 
man  play  was  given. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      63 

Summary. 

Abaellino,  November  18,  March  3. 
Pizarro,  March  24,  1806. 
The  Stranger,  May  16,  1806. 
Valentine  and  Orson,  January  i,  April  7,  1806. 
The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  January  6,  1806. 

Season  of  1806-1807. 
(October  6,  1806,  to  April  17,  1807.) 

The  theatre  opened  under  the  direction  of  the  famous  actor, 
Thomas  A.  Cooper,  who  at  the  same  time  was  the  leading  man 
of  the  company.  The  status  of  the  German  drama  remained 
about  the  same  as  in  the  previous  season.  The  German  plays 
represented  are  five  in  number,  all  by  Kotzebue.  They  are  as 
follows:  Abaellino,  Lovers'  Vows,  Of  Age  Tomorrow,0  The 
Stranger  (Dunlap's  translation),  Pizarro,  and  The  Glee  Prom  the 
Red  Cross  Knights. 

The  novelty  of  the  season  is  Of  Age  Tomorro^v}  adapted 
for  the  London  stage  by  T.  Dibden.109  Dunlap  had  presented 
the  same  play  from  the  German  Der  Wildfang  in  his  Wild  Goose 
Chase.  Dibden 's  farce  seems  to  have  been  the  more  popular 
play  after  it  had  been  once  introduced.  The  first  cast  follows: 

Frederick,  Thwaite. 

Baron  PifHeberg,  Harwood. 

Lady  Brumbach,  Mrs.  Oldmixon. 

Sophia,  Miss  Bellinger. 

Maria,  Mrs.  Barley. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  Valentine  and  Orson  and  The  Siege 
of  Belgrade  were  revived  this  season. 

Buring  the  summer  a  part  of  the  Philadelphia  company 
opened  the  Vauxhall  Theatre,  playing  from  July  16  until  Sep 
tember.  Among  the  plays  we  note  Lovers'  Vows,  or  The  Nat 
ural  Son  (Mrs.  Inchbald's  translation),  The  Point  of  Honor, 
and  an  unidentified  piece  entitled  Alberto  and  Rosabella.0  The 


Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
1  Performed  at  Drury  Lane,  February  i,  1800.    Cf.  Genest,  7,  463. 


64      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Point  of  Honor  is  an  adaptation  from  the  French,  but  plays  in 
Alsace  on  the  border  of  Germany110  with  German  characters  in 
the  cast: 

Durimel,  Chevalier  de  St.  Franc,  Valcour,  Steinberg,  Ber 
tha,  Mrs.  Melfort. 

Concerning  Alberto  and  Rosabella  I  have  been  able  to  find 
neither  author  nor  adaptor.  The  cast  follows : 

Sigismund,  a  Polish  Baron,  Alberto  (a  farmer),  Frederick 
(his  brother),  Rosabella  (his  wife),  Eliza  (his  sister),  Al 
berto's  children. 

Summary.      (Season  1806-1807.) 

Abaellino,  October  15,  1806. 

Lovers'  Vows,  October  20,  1806. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,0  November  5,  17,  1806,  March  9,  1807. 

The  Stranger  (Dunlap's  version),  November  14,  1806. 

Pizarro,  February  25,  March  6,  1807. 

Glee  From  the  Red  Cross  Knights,  March  18,  1807. 

Wheel  of  Fortune,  October  22,  1806. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  November  9,  25,  1806. 

Siege  of  Belgrade,  April  17,  1807. 

Summer  Season. 

Point  of  Honor,0  July  25,  1807. 

Lovers'  Vows  (Inchbald),  August  3,  4,  5,  25,  1807. 

Alberto  and  Rosabella0  (?),  August  25,  1807. 

The  five  German  plays  of  the  regular  season  had  seven  per 
formances  to  which  may  be  added  the  four  performances  of 
Lovers  Vows  during  the  summer  at  the  Vauxhall  Theatre. 

Season  of  1807-1808. 

French  adaptations  prevail — nearly  all  of  the  new  plays  be 
ing  taken  from  French  sources.  As  a  result  only  four  German 
plays  are  found  during  the  regular  season:  Abaellino,  Of  Age 
Tomorrow,  Pizarro  and  Lovers'  Vows. 

110  Cf.  Genest,  7,  487. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      65 

Among  the  new  plays  are  Adrian  and  Orilla,  Tekili,  The 
Fortress  and  The  Wood  Daemon.  The  first  mentioned  seems  to 
be  of  German  origin.  It  is  said  to  play  in  Saxony111  and  the 
whole  subject-matter  is  German.  A  partial  list  of  characters 
reveals  the  following  names :  Prince  of  Altenburg,  Count  Ro- 
senheim  and  Adrian.  Genest111  asserts  that  "some  scenes  in  the 
first  act  are  inspired  by  The  Count  of  Burgundy."  Tekili  with  its 
subtitle,  or  The  Siege  of  Montgatz,  is  advertised  as  an  adaptation 
from  the  French  of  Pixerecourt,  with  music  by  T.  E.  Hook. 
The  scene  of  action  is  in  Austria  and  a  number  of  the  characters 
have  German  names : 

Hungarians : 

Count  Tekili,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Conrad  (the  Miller). 

Alexina  and  Christine. 
Austrians : 

Count  Caraffa. 

Bras  de  Per. 

It  is  very  probable  that  Pixerecourt,  who  produced  so  many 
popular  plays  and  operas  at  this  time  took  his  plot  from  some 
German  original. 

The  Fortress  by  Hook  (no  cast)  must  remain  in  the  dark 
until  further  information  can  be  obtained.  And  finally  the  play 
entitled  The  Wood  Daemon  by  M.  G.  Lewis.  What  the  source 
of  the  play  is  has  not  been  determined,  although  Lewis  stoutly 
maintains  in  the  preface  112  that  it  is  original.  The  scene  is  laid 
in  Holstein  and  the  cast  is  German.  The  piece  was  very  popular 
for  a  time  to  judge  from  the  many  performances.  Cast :  Hardy- 
knute,  Guelpho,  Willikind,  Una  and  Clotilda. 

During  the  short  summer  season  there  are  a  few  plays  of 
interest.  Kotzebue  is  represented  by  Lovers'  Vows  and  two  of 
the  uncertain  plays  are  put  on:  Matrimony  and  The  Brazen 
Mask,  or  Alberto  and  Rosabella. 


111  Genest,  8,  45. 


"  ucnest,  5,  45. 

"As  published  in  "The  New  English  Drama,"  Vol.  19. 


66      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Summary.     (1807-1808.) 

Abaellino,  September  25,  1807. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  December  18,  1807,  April  22,  1808. 

Pizarro,  March  7,  21,  1808. 

Lovers   Vows,  June  22,  1808. 

Siege  of  Belgrade,  October  7,  November  25,  1807,  January 
6,  1808. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,0  December  n,  26,  1807. 

Tekili0  (?),  December  21,  23,  28,  1807,  January  i,  4,  8, 
March  16,  1808. 

The  Fortress,0  April  22,  25,  May  2,  1808. 

The  Wood  Daemon,0  May  n,  13,  June  29,  1808. 

Summer  Season  (1808). 

Lovers'  Vows,  July  18,  1808. 

Matrimony,  July  15,  23,  September  5,  1808. 

The  Brazen  Mask,  or  Alberto  and  Rosabella,  July  20,  1808. 

Total:  Four  German  plays,  seven  performances  (including 
the  summer  season). 

Season  1808-1800. 
(September  9,  1808,  to  July  3,  1809.) 

The  tide  seems  to  have  turned  slightly  in  favor  of  the  Ger 
man  drama — at  least  we  notice  more  performances  this  year  with 
revivals  of  two  plays  not  given  during  the  three  preceding  years. 
These  two  plays,  The  Robbers  and  Fraternal  Discord,  with 
Pizarro,  Abaellino,  Of  Age  Tomorrow  and  Lovers'  Vows  make 
up  the  list  for  the  season — six  plays  in  fourteen  performances. 

On  the  second  night  of  the  season  The  Robbers  was  given, 
and  December  21,  1808,  Fraternal  Discord  was  performed  for 
the  benefit  of  distressed  seamen,  and  in  spite  of  the  bad  weather 
Dunlap  states  that  "there  was  $1177  in  the  house". 

Of  new  plays  which  might  possibly  show  German  influence, 
the  season  brings  four:  Adelgitha,  Lodoiska,  The  Blind  Boy 
and  False  Delicacy.  Adelgitha,  or  The  Fruits  of  a  Single  Error, 
is  another  of  "Monk"  Lewis'  efforts.  The  scene  is  at  Otranto 
in  the  year  io8o.113  It  deals  more  with  a  Norman  subject  rather 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
n*  Cf.  the  synopsis  in  Genest,  8,  39. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830      67 

than  a  German  one.  Lodoiska  with  Slavic  characters  may  be 
French.  The  Blind  Boy  plays  in  Lithuania.  Whether  it  has 
German  antecedents  or  not  is  a  matter  of  conjecture.  Hewetson 
is  said  to  be  the  author.114  False  Delicacy  by  Kelley  seems  to  be 
related  to  Kotzebue's  Falsche  Scham.  Brede  states  that  both  go 
back  to  a  French  original. 

There  was  no  summer  season. 

Summary.   ( 1808- 1800. ) 

The  Robbers,  September  12,  November  23,  1808. 

Pizarro,  October  12,  1808,  May  15,  26,  1809. 

Abaellino,  October  31,  1808. 

Fraternal  Discord,  December  21,  30,  1808,  March  17,  June 
12,  1809. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  March  6,  April  5,  May  19,  1809. 

Lovers'  Vows,  May  24,  1809. 

Lodoiska0  (?),  September  21,  1808. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  October  7,  14,  1808. 

Adelgitha0  (?),  November  14,  16,  21,  December  5,  12, 
1808,  April  12,  June  26,  1809. 

Columbus,  November  25,  December  2,  1808. 

The  Blind  Boy0  (Kelly  ?  or  Hewetson  ?),  December  12, 
1 6,  1808,  March  3,  May  17,  1809. 

Siege  of  Belgrade,  December  16,  1808. 

False  Delicacy0  (Kelly  ?),  June  9,  19,  1809. 

Season  1809-1810. 

(September  6,  1809,  to  July  4,  1810.) 

This  season  is  marked  by  the  large  number  of  plays  (new) 
dealing  with  German  subjects  rather  than  by  many  direct  trans 
lations.  Of  the  latter  only  four  appear — Pizarro,  Abaellino, 
Where  is  He?  and  Of  Age  Tomorrow.  Pizarro  was  put  on  to 
give  Master  Payne,  "the  young  American  Roscius",  an  oppor 
tunity  to  play  Rolla.  The  attempt  of  the  boy-actor  is  aptly  char 
acterized  by  Dunlap :  "A  child  in  Rolla,  let  his  mind  be  ever  so 
Herculean,  must  be  far  below  the  mark.  It  is  somewhat  like  a 
little  girl  playing  Shylock  with  some  horse  hair  tied  to  her  chin." 

114  Genest,  8,  83  and  84. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


68      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Of  the  old  plays  we  note  Adelgitha,  The  Point  of  Honor, 
The  Wheel  of  Fortune.  Five  new  ones  are  produced :  Princess 
or  No  Princess,  or  The  Forest  of  Hermannstadt,  labelled  as  a 
translation  from  the  French  of  Pixerecourt,  treats  an  incident 
"which  happened  to  the  mother  of  Charlemagne".115  The  other 
new  plays  are  Ella  Rosenberg,  The  Free  Knights,  or  The  Edict 
of  Charlemagne,  The  Exiles  and  Is  He  a  Prince? 

Ella  Rosenberg   (by  Kenney)   has  the  Mark  Brandenburg 

for  its  setting.  The  characters  with  one  exception  are  German : 
Rosenberg,  Col.  Mountfort,  Storm,  Fluttermann,  the  Elector  of 
Brandenburg,  Ella  (wife  of  Rosenberg),  Christina  and  Mrs. 
Fluttermann.  Col.  Mountfort  desires  to  seduce  Ella — he 
causes  Rosenberg  to  be  imprisoned,  while  Storm  protects  Ella. 
Mountfort  tries  to  carry  her  away  from  Storm's  house.  The 
latter  resists  and  a  combat  ensues.  Storm  is  condemned  to  be 
shot,  but  the  Elector  learns  the  true  state  of  affairs  and  at  the 
conclusion  disgraces  Mountfort,  and  takes  Rosenberg  into  his 
favor.  Storm's  life  is  saved — Ella  and  Rosenberg  are  united. 
The  play  ends  with  "Long  live  the  Elector!"116 

The  Exile  treats  a  phase  of  Russian  history  of  the  reign  of 
the  Empress  Elizabeth.  The  story  upon  which  the  drama  is 
founded  is  said  to  be  by  Mme.  Cottin.117  In  The  Free  Knights, 
or  The  Edict  of  Charlemagne  "we  have  a  picture  of  the  Vehm- 
gericht  in  Westphalia.  It  is  in  all  probability  founded  on  some 
of  the  current  'Ritterromane'  which  were  called  forth  by  the 
success  of  Goethe's  'Goetz'.  The  cast  follows:  Manfredi  (Ab 
bot  of  Corbey),  Ravensburg,  Prince  Palatine,  Baron  Ravens- 
burg,  Christopher  (in  love  with  Ulrica),  Oliver  (butler),  Count 
Roland,  Agnes,  an  orphan  (in  love  with  Ravensburg),  Countess 
Roland  and  Ulrica. 

"Principal  Scenery — A  spacious  cavern  with  a  brazen  door 

—the  Meeting-place  of  the  Free  Knights.  ,A  splendid  Gothic 
Hall.  An  apartment  of  the  Baron's  Chateau. 


118  Cf.  Genest,  8,  127. 

""  Cf.  the  play  as  published  in  Vol.  I,  No.  5,  of  Mrs.  Inchbald's  Collection 
of  Farces,  British  Theatre. 
117  Cf.  Genest,  8,  127-8. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      69 

"A  vaulted  cavern  belonging  to  the  Free  Knights. 

"Abbey  of  Corbey.  Statue  of  Charlemagne,  on  the  base  of 
which  is  written,  'Charlemagne  grants  the  Power  of  Sanctuary 
to  the  Abbotts  of  Corbey  forever.' 

"Grand  Cathedral  scene." 

Another  new  piece  was  produced  September  13,  but  was  not 
again  repeated  so  far  as  I  can  ascertain — Is  He  a  Prince f  The 
following  description  from  the  Theatrical  Register  of  the 
Monthly  Magazine  and  American  Rei'iezv  for  September,  1809, 
will  explain  why  it  is  classed  with  the  plays  that  might  be  of  Ger 
man  origin. 

"This  entertainment  which  has  its  first  representation  on  the 
New  York  boards  this  evening  was  brought  out  at  the  Haymar- 
ket  Theatre  by  the  Covent  Garden  Theatre  company.  It  is  from 
the  pen  of  the  translator  of  the  Portrait  of  Michael  Cervantes. 
(A  Farce  by  Prince  Hoare. ) 

"The  plot  is  not  very  natural.  The  unintentional  exchange 
of  a  picture  changes  a  young  officer,  in  the  opinion  of  a  German 
Baron,  a  great  sportsman,  his  maiden  sister,  a  lady  swelled  with 
genealogical  pride,  and  a  count  filled  with  good  nature  but  void 
of  sense,  into  the  Duke  of  Anhalt,  their  sovereign.  Profiting  by 
this  mistake,  the  young  officer  obtains  the  hand  of  the  baron's 
daughter,  who  had  been  pledged  to  the  count ;  and  being  discov 
ered  by  the  untimely  arrival  of  his  uncle,  is  forgiven  by  all  par 
ties  and  abdicates  his  sovereignty  to  assume  the  title  of  Caro 
line's  husband." 

The  first  and  only  performance  was  given  with  the  follow 
ing  cast : 

Baron  Crackenburg,      Mr.  Doyle. 

Count  Rosenblum,  Mr.  Young. 

Bluffberg,  Mr.  Twaits. 

Lindorf,  Mr.  Poe.118 

Moritz,  Mr.  Robertson. 

Frantz,  Mr.  Lindsley. 

Caroline,  Mrs.  Young. 

Mrs.  Crackenburg,  Mrs.  Oldmixon. 

118  This  Poe  is  the  father  of  Edgar  Allen  Poe. 


70      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Summary.     (Season  1809-1810.) 

Pizarro,  September  8,  27,   December   n,   1809,   March  5, 
1810. 

Abaellino,  September  18,  1809,  July  2,  1810. 

Where  is  He?  January  10,  12,  15,  1810. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  June  6,  27,  1810. 

Is  He  a  Prince  f°  September  13,  1809. 

Adelgitha,  September  22,  October  n,  November  22,  1809, 
May  14,  1810. 

Princess  or  No  Princess ,°   September  29,  October  2,   De 
cember  2,  1809,  March  19,  1810. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  October  4,  1809. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  November  3,  1809. 

Ella  Rosenberg,0  April  9,  n,  13,  15,  18,  June  18,  1810. 

The  Exiles,0  April  27,  30,  May  7,  1810. 

Gustav  W&sa,  February  22,  1810. 

The  Free  Knights,  or  The  Edict  of  Charlemagne,0  June  13, 
July  4,  1810. 

Season  1810-1811. 

(September  10,  1810,  to  July  4,  1811.) 
The  season  shows  a  decided  increase  in  German  plays  and 
also  in  the  dramas  pertaining  to  German  subjects.  A  number  of 
the  familiar  Kotzebue  pieces  appear,  reinforced  by  a  new  one — 
La  Perouse.  The  full  list  is  as  follows :  Pizarro,  The  Stranger, 
Of  Age  Tomorrow,  La  Perouse,  or  The  Desolate  Island,0 Abael 
lino,  Lovers  Vows,  Adelgitha,  Wheel  of  Fortune,  The  Wood 
Daemon,  Ella  Rosenberg,  Alberto  Albertini0  Matrimony,  The 
Point  of  Honor.  During  the  summer,  performances  were  given 
at  the  Circus.  Among  the  plays  offered  there  we  find  The  Brazen 
Mask  (sub-title:  Alberto  and  Rosabella),  Amelia  and  Valcour, 
or  The  Bandits  of  the  Black  Forest.0 

La  Perouse  appeared  January  i,  181 1,  for  the  first  time  with 
the  following  cast : 

Perouse,  Mr.  Robertson. 

Conje,  Mr.  Bray. 

Kanko,  Mr.  Simpson. 

Patapaw,  Mr.  Doyle. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      71 

Chimpanzee,  Mr.  Smalley. 

Umba,  Mrs.  Mason. 

Mad.  Perouse,  Mrs.  Wheatley. 

Child,  Miss  DeLamater. 

The  play  was  well  received  and  had  five  performances  dur 
ing  the  first  season.  It  was  reduced  later  to  a  pantomime. 

Alberto  Albertini  lived  to  be  presented  but  twice.  But  those 
two  performances  have  not  been  recorded  by  any  one.  Neither 
Dunlap  nor  Ireland  mention  this  play,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  in 
one  of  the  announcements  it  is  called  "Mr.  Dunlap's  new  pro 
duction".  In  the  first  announcement  we  read  that  it  is  "by  the 
author  of  Abaellino".  Whether  Dunlap  or  Zschokke  is  meant 
remains  a  question — since  it  was  a  very  common  custom  to  call 
the  translator  or  adapter  the  author.  No  cast  could  be  found. 
Dunlap  himself  does  not  refer  to  any  piece  of  that  title,  but  does 
include  in  the  list119  of  his  wrorks  a  Rinaldo  Rinaldini.  It  is 
barely  possible  that  Alberto  Albertini  and  Rinaldo  are  the  same 
play.  To  judge  from  a  note  in  the  Commercial  Advertiser 
(January  30,  1811)  the  play  was  evidently  not  well  received: 
"It  is  with  extreme  regret  that  we  take  occasion  to  remark  the 
impropriety  of  behavior  of  certain  individuals,  on  the  represen 
tation  of  Mr.  Dunlap's  new  production,  Alberto  Albertini/' 

The  drama  seems  to  lose  ground,  which  the  pantomime  and 
spectacle  plays  are  put  on  to  satisfy  the  public.  The  increase  in 
the  number  of  pantomimes  and  afterpieces  has  been  a  steady  one, 
but  never  has  it  assumed  the  prominence  which  it  has  this  year. 
For  the  next  few  years  the  pantomime  is  the  attraction  of  the 
theatre  rather  than  the  play  which  on  the  program  generally  pre 
ceded  it. 

Summary.    (Season  1810-1811.) 

Pizarro,  September  19,  1810,  March  29,  1811. 
The  Stranger,  September  26,  1810. 
Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  17,  26,  1810. 
La  Perouse,  or  The  Desolate  Island,0  January  i,  2,  4,  7, 
February  I,  1811. 


'Dunlap,  p.  408  (Ed.  1832). 
Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


72      German  Drama  in  English  on  Nezv  York  Stage  to  1830 

Abaellino,  January  14,  March  13,  1811. 

Lovers'  Voivs,  April  26,  1811. 

Adelgitha,  September  28,  1810,  May  3,  1811. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  September  17,  1810,  March  6,  1811. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  September  26,  November  12,  14,  16, 
17,  26,  December  31,  1810,  January  23,  30,  March  18,  April  i, 
June  10,  1811. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  October  24,  November  9,  December  21, 
June  14,  1811. 

Alberto  Albertini,0  January  25,  28,  1811. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  July  4,  1811. 

Plays  given  at  "The  Circus" : 

Matrimony,  February  4,  8,  April  8,  1811. 

The  Brazen  Mask,  July  15,  August  19,  1811. 

Amelia  and  Valconr0  (?)  or  The  Bandits  of  the  Black  For 
est,  July  31,  1811. 

There  were  six  different  German  plays  (five  of  which  are 
Kotzebue  plays)  in  thirteen  performances  during  the  season.  We 
would  call  attention  to  the  manifest  popularity  of  The  Wood 
Daemon  as  shown  in  the  total  of  sixteen  performances. 

Season  of  1811-1812. 
(September  2,  1811,  to  July  i,  1812.) 

This  season  lacks  any  novelties  and  shows  the  revival  of  but 
one  of  our  listed  dramas — Gustavus  Famine  patriotic  play.  There 
is  a  marked  falling  off  in  the  number  of  performances  of  the  Ger 
man  drama.  Only  one  new  adaptation  of  interest  appears — an 
•  unidentified  piece  called  The  Great  Devil,  or  The  Robber  of 
Genoa.  Nothing  more  specific  than  the  title  can  be  found ;  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  is  the  "pantomime"  form  of  Abael 
lino,  which  as  a  successful  drama  was  made  the  basis  of  the  now 
favored  pantomime.  We  note  a  number  of  performances  at  the 
new  theatre,  the  Olympic,120  and  the  fact  that  the  great  actor, 
Cooper,  during  his  visit  played  the  leading  role  in  Abaellino. 

°  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
120  Previously  a  circus,  but  in  May,  1812,  took  the  name  "The  New  Olym 
pic".    Brown,  I,  p.  80. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830      73 

Summary.    (Season  1811-1812.) 

Plzarro,  September  23,  October  14,  November  8,  1811. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  21,  1811. 

Abaellino,  December  2,  23,  1811,  March  30  (Cooper),  June 
10  (at  the  Olympic),  June  17,  1812. 

Fraternal  Discord,  February  3,  April  3,  1812. 

Lovers'  Vows,  June  3,  5  (at  the  Olympic),  1812. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  September  30,  October  9,  November  6, 
1811,  June  12,  1812. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  October  30,  1811. 

Adelgitha,  November  13,  1811. 

Gnstavns  Vasa,  May  16,  18,  19,  1812. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  May  18,  19,  1812. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  June  15,  1812. 

Plays  at  the  Circus : 

The  Great  Devil,  or  The  Robber  of  Genoa  (Pantomime), 
September  14,  1811. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  September  16,  1811. 
The  Bleeding  Nun,  September  17,   1811.       (A    pantomime 
based  on  M.  G.  Lewis'  novel  entitled  "The  Monk".) 

The  summary  shows  but  five  German  plays  (excluding  The 
Great  Devil),  which  however  total  thirteen  performances  for  the 
season. 

Season  1812-1813. 
(September  7,  1812,  to  July  4,  1813.) 

Very  slight  traces  are  seen  of  the  distinct  Kotzebue  revival 
of  which  Wood  speaks  during  the  years  1812  and  1813  on  the 
Philadelphia  stage.  Two  plays  indicate  possibly  a  renewed  in 
terest  in  the  once  famous  author — the  revival  of  The  Stranger, 
December  14,  1812  (repeated  December  21),  being  the  first  per 
formance  in  four  years  of  this  most  enduring  play  of  Kotzebue, 
and  the  production  of  a  Kotzebue  piece  which  had  never  before 
been  given  in  New  York :  How  to  Die  for  Love.0121 

The  first  partial  cast  shows  the  following  characters : 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
U1  Kotzebue's  Blind  Geladen! 


74      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Capt.  Thalwick,  Mr.  Simpson. 

Capt.  Blumenfield,          Mr.  Pritchard. 
Charlotte,  Mrs.  Barley. 

Another  revival  remains  to  be  noted:  The  Robbers,  "not 
given  these  five  years",  was  played  November  30,  1812.  Curiously 
enough,  one  entire  evening's  entertainment  was  furnished  by 
German  plays  when  on  January  u,  1813,  The  Robbers  and  Kot- 
zebue's  How  to  Die  for  Love  were  performed ;  also  December 
14,  1812,  we  have  the  revival  of  The  Stranger  and  the  premiere 
of  How  to  Die  for  Love. 

Summary.    (Season  1812-1813.) 

Abaellino  f  September  7,  October  30,  1812,  March  12,  1813. 

The  Robbers  (first  time  these  five  years),  November  30, 
December  9,  1812,  January  n,  April  26,  1813. 

The  Stranger  (first  time  these  four  years),  December  14, 
21,  1812. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,0  December  14,  18,  1812,  January  n, 
April  28,  1813. 

Fraternal  Discord,  January  7,  22,  1813. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  September  9,  1812,  June  14,  1813. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  November  n,  1812,  March  5,  1813. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  November  25,  1812. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  November  27,  1812,  June  16,  1813. 

Siege  of  Belgrade,  January  7,  18,  1813. 

The  Brazen  Mask,  March  8,  10,  29,  April  9,  1813. 

Summer  Season. 
Abaellino,  July  2,  1813. 

Tekili,  July  16,  1813  (first  time  in  five  years). 
Five  German  plays  represented  in  fifteen  performances. 

Season  1813-1814. 

(September  13,  1813,  to  July  4,  1814.) 
The  number  of  performances  is  materially  increased  by  the 
maintenance  of  two  theatres122  with  good  companies  during  the 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
122  The  Anthony  Street  Theatre  was  opened  April  12,  1813,  and  during  the 
year  1814  maintained  a  good  company. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      75 

greater  part  of  the  season.  Yet  the  fact  remains  that  the  Ger 
man  drama  plays  a  more  important  part  than  it  has  for  a  num 
ber  of  years.  Twelve  German  plays,  nearly  all  from  Kotzebue 
were  seen  during  the  season ;  they  included  the  old  favorites  and 
two  new  plays :  a  new  arrangement  of  The  Virgin  of  the  Sim  (in 
three  acts)  and  the  drama  Education,  an  adaptation  of  Iffland's 
Das  Gewissen.123 

Cooper  did  his  share  in  reawakening  interest  in  the  German 
drama  by  playing  the  principal  roles  in  what  might  be  termed  the 
standard  plays,  viz.,  The  Stranger  (October  ir,  27,  November  i, 
December  31,  1813),  Rolla  in  Pizarro  (December  3,  8,  1813), 
and  Charles  de  Moor  in  Schiller's  Robbers  (March  14,  1814). 

The  new  arrangement  of  The  Fir  gin  of  the  Sun  by  Rey 
nolds  was  staged  with  the  usual  elaborate  detail  of  scenery.  The 
following  notice  appeared  in  the  New  York  Evening  Post  for 
November  15,  1813: 

"November  15  a  new  grand  operatic  Drama  in  3  Acts  with 
scenery  and  dresses 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun 

translated  for  the  Theatre  Royal  Covent  Garden  by  F.  Reynolds, 
Esq.,  with  original  music  by  W.  H.  Bishop,  Esq.,  consisting  of 
Grand  choruses,  Marches,  Bravouras,  etc.  The  scenery  designed 
and  executed  by  Messrs.  Robins. 


Ataliba, 

Mr.  Jones. 

High  Priest, 

Mr.  Pritchard. 

Xaira, 

Mr.  Horton. 

Telasco, 

Mr.  Yates. 

Don  Alonzo, 

Mr.  Simpson. 

Don  Valasquez, 

High  Priestess, 

Mrs.  Stanley. 

Amazili, 

Miss  Dellinger. 

Runa, 

Mrs.  Wheatley. 

ROLLA, 

Mr.  Cooper. 

Cualpo, 

Mr.  Drummond. 

Zamor, 

Mr.  Darley. 

Cf.  Genest,  8,  379. 


76      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Diego,  Mr.  Hilson. 

Tupac,  Mr.  Bancker. 

Officer,  Mr.  McHenry. 

CORA,  Mrs.  Barley. 

Idali,  Miss  Claude. 

Zilia,  Mrs.  Oldmixon. 

''Act  I.  Scene  i.  A  wild  and  woody  country.  The  golden 
Cupalo  of  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  is  seen  through  the  trees.  Rol- 
la's  Cave. 

"Sc.  2.    A  view  of  the  open  country. 

"Sc.  3.  A  splendid  apartment  in  the  House  of  the  Stars.  A 
transparency  in  the  Back  through  which  the  lightning  is  seen.  A 
grand  Storm  Chorus. 

"Sc.  4.  Part  of  the  Garden  of  the  Temple.  The  Grand  Por 
tico  of  the  Temple.  Palm  trees.  Temple  and  Tomb  very  mag 
nificent.  A  Storm,  Wind,  rain,  thunder  and  lightning.  The 
trees  waving  violently  to  and  fro.  A  violent  shock  of  an  Earth 
quake  is  felt.  Cora  is  seen  with  dishevelled  hair  rushing  from 
the  Temple.  The  Tomb  is  rent  asunder.  A  tremendous  crash  is 
heard  and  the  Volcano  bursts.  Cora  supplicates  Heaven,  runs 
wildly  to  and  fro  and  in  her  terror  is  returning  into  the  Temple, 
when  a  thunderbolt  strikes  the  Portico  and  the  whole  building 
falls  around  her. 

"(Scene  executed  by  Messrs.  Robins  and  Holland.) 

"Act  II.  Scene  i.  Valley  of  Capana,  the  Cocique's  habita 
tion. 

"Sc.  2.     Splendid  Apartment  in  the  House  of  the  Stars. 

"Sc.  3.  Hall  of  Audience  in  the  Palace  of  the  Inca.  The 
columns  fancifully  decorated  with  serpents,  and  ornaments  in 
the  highest  style.  Throne  of  Gold.  Grand  procession  of  Priests 
and  Priestesses. 

"Act  III.  Scene  i.  Garden  of  the  Temple  encircled  by  a 
Stone  Wall.  Moonlight. 

"Scene  2.  Another  part  of  the  Garden.  The  Piece  concludes 
with  the  Interior  of  the  Temple  of  the  Sun." 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      77 

The  play  was  successful  and  had  eleven  performances  dur 
ing  its  first  season.  Genest  in  comparing  Dunlap's  version  with 
this  one  by  Reynolds,  gives  the  American  piece  the  preference. 
He  says:124  "An  alteration  from  the  German  drama  in  five  Acts 
was  performed  at  the  New  York  Theatre  on  March  12,  1800 — 
this  alteration  is  a  good  one — the  person125  who  made  it  has 
omitted  about  five  pages  and  judiciously  shortened  the  very  long 
speeches  in  the  original.  Reynolds  has  retained  the  most  import 
ant  parts  of  Kotzebue's  play,  but  he  has  degraded  it  to  an  opera 
and  has  omitted  a  great  deal  too  much — his  alteration  is  very  in- 
feriour  to  the  original  and  to  the  American  piece." 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  by  Reynolds  was  first  performed  at 
the  Covent  Garden  Theatre  January  31,  1812.  Again  Dunlap 
deserves  credit  for  his  industry  as  manager  and  adapter. 

A  new  arrangement  of  Gustav  Vasa  was  played  under  the 
title  The  Hero  of  the  North;  it  was  founded  evidently  on  the  old 
drama  by  Dibden.  The  partial  cast  of  characters  includes  the 
names:  Gustav  Vasa  (played  by  Cooper),  Casimir  Rubenski, 
Markoff,  Carlowitz,  Princess  Gunilda  and  Alexa. 

Concerning  the  play  Education  no  cast  was  published ;  it  is 
doubtless  the  same  as  for  the  London  performance  some  time 
previous  :126  Count  Villars,  Sir  Guy  Stanch,  Templeton,  Vincent, 
Aspic.  According  to  Genest,  this  is  a  much  "altered  adaptation 
from  a  German  play  by  IfBand  called  Conscience" ,  in  which  fash 
ionable  education  is  held  up  to  ridicule. 

Deaf  and  Dumb,  the  name  by  which  Kotzebue's  Abbe  de 
I'Epee  is  known,  was  revived  this  season  after  having  been  laid 
aside  for  some  time.  The  Birthday  (Dibden's  arrangement  of 
Fraternal  Discord}  was  also  played  at  the  Anthony  Street 
Theatre. 

Summary.     (Season  1813-1814.) 

Abaellino,  September  17,  1813,  June  4,  1814  (at  the  An 
thony  Street  Theatre).127 


194  Genest,  8,  290. 
138  Dunlap. 


""Genest,  8,  3/9  (Covent  Garden,  March  27,  1813). 

117  Where  no  theatre  is  mentioned  the  New  (or  Park,  as  it  is  more  gen 
erally  known)  is  understood. 


78      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  September  24,  1813  (  ?).128 
Fraternal  Discord,  September  24,  November  25,  1813,  May 

14,  1814- 

The  Stranger  (by  Cooper),  October  n,  27,  November  i, 
December  31,  1813.  Also  May  18,  June  18,  1814,  at  the  An 
thony  Street  Theatre. 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,0  November  15,  16,  17,  19,  24,  29, 
December  20,  29,  1813,  March  30,  April  n,  29,  1814. 

Pizarro,  December  3,  8,  1813,  March  18,  May  27,  1814. 
June  15,  1814,  at  the  Anthony  Street  Theatre. 

Lovers'  Vows,  December  22,  1813. 

Education,0  February  21,  23,  25,  1814. 

The  Robbers,  March  14,  1814.  (Cooper — Charles  de  Moor.) 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  May  13,  and  May  16,  1814,  at  the  An 
thony  Street  Theatre. 

Deaf  and  Dumb  (Anthony  Street  Theatre),  June  8,  13, 
1814. 

The  Birthday  (Anthony  Street  Theatre),  July  4,  1814. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Tekili,  September  15,  October  18,  November  3,  1813,  Feb 
ruary  4,  1814. 

Wheel  of  Fortune,  October  15,  1813,  March  23,  1814. 

Adelgitha,  December  10,  15,  1813,  and  at  Anthony  Street 
May  u,  16,  1814. 

The  Hero  of  the  North,0  April  22,  25,  27,  May  2,  6,  June  3, 
1814. 

Ella  Rosenberg  (Anthony  Street),  May  4,  June  30,  1814. 

Adrian  and  Orilla  (Anthony  Street),  May  9,  June  17,  1814. 

The  Point  of  Honor  (Anthony  Street),  June  n,  July  4, 
1814. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  June  15,  20,  1814. 
The  Blind  Boy  (Hewetson),  June  17,  29,  July  4,  1814. 
Adelmorn  the  Outlaw,  June  22,  July  i,  1814. 
The  Miller  and  His  Men,  July  4,  1814. 

The  summary  shows  twelve  German  plays  in  thirty-eight 
performances  during  the  season;  of  these,  nine  are  Kotzebue 

"*  Hamlet  and  How  to  Die,  etc.,  billed  for  September  24th,  but  Hamlet 
postponed  on  account  of  Cooper's  hoarseness.  Fraternal  Discord  substituted. 
Was  How  to  Die,  etc.,  postponed  ? 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      79 

plays,  which  still  represent  the  German  drama  on  the  American 
stage.  These  nine  plays  total  thirty-two  out  of  the  thirty-eight 
performances  of  the  German  drama  during  the  season. 

Season  of  1814-1815. 
(August  31,  1814,  to  July  24,  1815.) 

This  unusually  long  season  has  very  little  that  is  new.  The 
Anthony  Street  Theatre  did  not  reopen  and  hence  only  the  per 
formances  at  the  Park  are  recorded.  During  the  season  the  al 
ready  familiar  plays  are  repeated  and  three  older  ones  are  re 
vived :  Count  Benyowski  ("not  given  for  seven  years"),  Peter 
the  Great,  or  The  Russian  Mother,  and  The  Force  of  Calumny. 
Another  play  appears  in  new  dress,  The  Harper's  Daughter,  or 
Love  and  Ambition,  which  is  merely  a  revision  of  Lewis'  trans 
lation  of  Schiller's  Kabale  und  Liebe.  Lewis  called  his  first  ver 
sion  The  Minister,  a  play  which  was  given  in  New  York  as  early 
as  December,  I799.129  The  revision  was  first  put  on  in  Phila 
delphia  in  1813.  The  notice  for  the  New  York  performance 
gives  only  a  partial  cast : 

Count  Rosenberg,      Mr.  Green. 
Julia,  Mrs.  Darley. 

Rugantino,  or  The  Bravo  of  Venice,  also  an  arrangement  of 
Abaellino,  was  put  on  late130  in  the  season,  while  Abaellino  had 
three  performances  earlier  (October  17,  December  14,  1814,  and 
January  16,  1815). 

Among  the  uncertain  plays,  one  new  one  appears :  The 
Devil's  Bridge.  From  the  cast  of  characters  it  is  clear  that  it  is 
not  of  German  origin.  It  is  regularly  noted  in  this  paper  be 
cause  the  setting  is  Switzerland  and  because  of  the  announce 
ment  which  almost  always  accompanies  it:  "That  the  'Ballad  of 
William  Tell'  will  be  sung  by  Mr.-  -." 

Summary.      (Season  1814-1815.) 

The  Robbers,  October  10  (Cooper),  1814,  March  3,  1815. 
Abaellino,    October  17,    December  14,   1814,    January  16, 
1815. 

m  For  details  see  pages  23  and  24  of  this  paper. 
*"  Rugantino  was  performed  June  7,  1815. 


8o      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Count  Benyowski,  November  25,  30,  1814. 

Pizarro,  December  7,  1814,  June  19,  1815. 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  December  16,  21,  1814,  April  12, 
July  7,  1815. 

Deaf  and  Dumb,  or  The  Orphan  Protected,  January  18,  25, 
1815. 

Peter  the  Great,  or  The  Russian  Mother,  January  30,  Feb 
ruary  8,  1815. 

The  Force  of  Calumny,  March  13,  1815. 

The  Harper's  Daughter,  or  Love  and  Ambition,0  April  17, 
1815. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  May  22,    1815. 

Lovers'  Vozvs,  June  5,    1815. 

Rugantino,  or  The  Bravo  of  Venice,0  June  7,  1815. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  August  31,  1814,  June  16,  1815. 

The  Hero  of  the  North,  October  14,  1814,  January  5,  June 
21,  1815. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  October  21,  November  23,  1814.  July 
7,  1815. 

Tekili,  October  24,  December  2,  5,  28,  1814,  May  i,  June 
23,  1815. 

The  Exile,  or  The  Russian  Daughter,  October  26,  November 
2,  7,  14,  21,  December  19,  1814,  January  6,  March  22,  May  5, 
1815. 

Columbus,  January  i,  1815. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  January  12,  February  27,  March  6, 
June  30,  1815. 

The  Blind  Boy  (author  uncertain  because  no  cast  was  indi 
cated),  February  i,  1815. 

Zorinski,  February  22,  1815. 

The  Fortress,  March  17,  20,  1815. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  June  19,  1815. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,0  July  4,  24,  1815. 

Although  only  one  theatre  runs  throughout  the  entire  year, 
the  number  of  German  plays  represented  is  the  same  as  for  the 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      81 

preceding  season — twelve;  seven  of  these  are  Kotzebue  plays 
with  thirteen  performances  out  of  the  total  for  the  German 
drama  of  twenty- two.  From  these  statistics  it  would  seem  as 
though  the  Kotzebue  revival  of  which  Wood  speaks  came  to  New 
York  a  year  or  two  later  than  Philadelphia — the  dates  for  the 
New  York  revival  being  1813  and  1814-15. 

Season  of  1815-1816. 
(September  i,  1815,  to  July  27,  1816.) 
The  season  brings  less  plays  than  the  preceding  one  but 
more  performances.     This  is  due  to  the  apparent  popularity  of 
two  of  the  plays :  Pizarro  and  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun.  Cooper's 
success  in  the  roles  of  Rolla  and  Charles  de  Moor  is  largely  re 
sponsible  for  the  rather  high  number  of  performances.     No  new 
plays,  either  German  or  relating  to  German  things,  have  been 
noted. 

Summary.    (Season  1815-1816.) 

Lovers'  Vows,  September  i,  October  6,  1815,  January  15, 
1816. 

Abaellino,  September  n,  October  30,  1815,  June  i,  1816. 

Pizarro,  September  18,  30,  October  n,  21,  1815,  June  3, 
July  17,  27,131  1816. 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  September  23,  December  2,  15,  1815, 
February  5,  May  31,  1816. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  n,  1815. 

The  Robbers,  October  18,  27,  1815,  February  10,  14,  1816. 

The  Stranger,  March  15,  29,  May  17,  1816. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Columbus,  September  13,  1815,  March  4,  1816. 

Tekili,  September  15,  October  6,  November  16,  1815,  Feb 
ruary  7,  1816. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  September  16,  October  27,  1815,  Feb 
ruary  12,  March  9,  1816. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  September  22,  1815,  June  26, 
1816. 


Last  night  of  the  season. 


82      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Exile,  November  i,  December  8,  1815. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  December  i,  16,  1815. 

The  Hero  of  the  North,  December  13,  1815. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  January  10,  February  10,  1816. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  January  17,  March  13,  1816. 

Adelgitha,  January  20,  1816. 

The  West  Indian,  May  4,  June  8,  1816. 

The  Fortress,  June  12,  1816. 

Adelmorn  the  Outlaw,  June  19,  1816. 

The  Blind  Boy  (Hewetson),  June  21,  1816. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  July  26,  1816. 

The  total  shows  seven  German  plays  in  twenty-six  perform 
ances  ;  five  of  the  plays  are  by  Kotzebue  and  they  alone  account 
for  nineteen  performances.  Among  the  other  German  dramas 
that  have  appeared  from  time  to  time  only  The  Robbers  and 
Abaellino  are  able  to  compete  with  Kotzebue. 

Season  of  1816-1817. 
(September  2,  1816,  to  July  9,  1817.) 

The  German  plays  for  the  season  are :  Pizarro,  The  Virgin 
of  the  Sun,  The  Stranger,  Hozv  to  Die  for  Love,  Abaellino, 
The  Robbers,  Fraternal  Discord,  Deaf  and  Dumb,  Lovers'  Vows 
and  La  Perouse.  None  of  the  plays  are  put  on  more  than  four 
or  five  times  during  the  season.  The  Robbers  leads  even  the 
Kotzebue  plays  Pizarro  and  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun.  The  month 
of  May  was  particularly  favored  by  German  plays  and  the  pub 
lic  had  the  opportunity  of  reading  comments  of  which  there  had 
been  a  great  lack  for  some  years.  The  American  Monthly  Mag 
azine  and  Critical  Review  for  the  month  of  May,  1817,  brings  no 
less  than  four  criticisms  of  plays  that  had  been  given  during  that 
month.  In  general  the  attitude  of  the  critic  is  unfavorable — 
there  is  very  little  praise  of  the  moral  teachings  of  the  Kotzebue 
dramas,  which  some  fifteen  years  previous  were  thought  to  be  of 
real  value  in  teaching  lessons  of  humanity  and  forgiveness; 
Schiller's  Robbers  is  condemned  in  unmistakable  words.  The 
quoted  excerpts  will  show  the  tenor  of  the  comments. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      83 

After  the  performance  of  The  Robbers,  April  12,  1817,  the 
following  article  appeared:132  "The  Robbers,  April  12,  1817. 
This  is  a  tragedy  in  the  worst  German  style  of  German  taste  and 
German  morality.  It  is  distressing  throughout;  but  the  catas 
trophe  is  shocking.  It  is  penance  to  witness  the  representation  of 
the  piece,  the  performance  of  which  is  painful  in  proportion  as 
it  is  imperfect ;  and  which  leaves  on  the  mind  an  impression  as 
difficult  to  be  effaced,  as  it  is  to  contemplate.  The  tendency  of 
this  play  is,  in  every  respect,  pernicious ;  its  blasphemy  is  horrible ; 
we  wish  it  were  altogether  proscribed  by  the  public.  We  augur 
well  from  the  thinness  of  the  house,  which  we  willingly  attribute 
to  the  general  disapprobation."  Then  follows  criticisms  of  the 
individual  players. 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun  fared  slightly  better  :133  "The  play 
is  much  inferior  to  Pizarro.  Indeed,  we  thought  it  mighty  dull. 
The  only  scenes,  the  interest  of  which  dwells  in  our  remembrance 
is  that  in  which  Rolla  discovers  the  preference  of  Cora  for 
Alonzo,  and  generously  sanctions  their  affiance ;  and  that  in  which 
he  interposes  to  their  rescue  from  death  to  which  they  are 
doomed,  at  the  hazard  of  his  own  life." 

The  popular  Abaellino  is  pronounced  weak.134  "This 
(Abaellino)  is  an  American  translation  from  a  German  drama. 
It  always  draws  an  audience,  though  few  can  define  its  attrac 
tions.  As  there  is  neither  nature  in  the  character  nor  probability 
in  the  plot,  we  must  ascribe  its  interest,  for  interest  it  does  pos 
sess,  principally  to  the  surprise  kept  up  by  the  extravagance  of 
incident." 

The  Stranger  is  considered  "an  interesting  drama  of  Kot- 
zebue",135  while  Lovers'  Vows  is  too  German  in  spite  of  Mrs. 
Inchbald's  improvements.  "The  play  has  rather  more  German 
nature  than  human  nature,  although  Mrs.  Inchbald  has  done 
much  to  improve  it  and  has  made  it  undoubtedly  very  interest 
ing."136 


m  American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  April  (Vol.  I),  1817. 

imlbid.  I,  136. 

134  Ibid.  I,  137. 

™Ibid.  I,  137. 

188  American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  I,  p.  206. 


84      German  Drama  in  English  on  Nezv  York  Stage  to  1830 

Among  the  new  plays  of  interest  are  the  following:  The 
Woodman's  Hut,  Rudolph,  or  The  Robbers  of  Calabria,  Freder 
ick  the  Great  and  The  Slave.  The  Woodman's  Hut  has  a  Ger 
man  setting  and  all  the  characters  bear  German  names :  Count 
Conenberg,  Wolfender  (Esquire  to  Baron  Bernhausen),  Bruhl, 
Moritz,  Kaunitz,  Dangerfeldt,  Schampt,  Amelia,  Maria  and 
Laura.  It  deals  with  a  feud  between  Baron  Bernhausen  and  the 
Counts  of  Conenberg.  It  is  attributed  to  Arnold,  but  what  his 
sources  were  has  not  been  cleared  up.  The  piece  became  popular 
and  was  performed  many  times  during  the  following  years — the 
spectacle  of  the  burning  hut  at  the  end  of  the  play  seems  to 
have  been  the  attraction.  The  Evening  Post  comments  on  the 
first  performance  :137  "We  had  presented  to  us  at  the  theatre 
last  Monday  evening  (October  28,  1816)  a  new  Melodramatic 
play,  entitled  The  Woodman's  Hut — a  piece  possessing  powerful 
interest  and  concluding  with  the  most  striking  effect,  perhaps, 
ever  attempted  in  this  country.  The  elements  throughout  bore  very 
considerable  share  in  the  interest  that  was  excited,  but  in  the  de 
nouement  where  the  burning  of  a  forest  was  to  sacrifice  those  who 
had  fired  it  with  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  virtuous  fugitive  of 
the  story,  the  very  excellence  of  its  management,  combining 
somewhat  of  terror  with  novelty,  served  in  part  to  frustrate  the 
gratification  it  should  have  produced."  The  article  closes  with  the 
advice  that  the  public  should  have  warning  before  the  fire  scene  in 
order  to  prevent  unnecessary  fear. 

Rudolph,  or  The  Robber  of  Calabria,  remains  dark.  No  cast 
was  published. 

Frederick  the  Great,  an  operatic  anecdote,  was  first  per 
formed  March  21,  1817.  The  cast  includes  Frederick  the  Great, 
Charles,  Baron  of  Felsheim,  Count  d'Herleim,  Theodore  d'Hart- 
iman,  Stock,  Brandt,  Matilda  and  Charlotte.  It  is  probably  writ 
ten  by  a  Frenchman  and  adapted  from  the  French  to  the  Eng 
lish  stage.  The  play  is  evidently  intended  to  give  a  picture  of  the 
times  of  the  famous  monarch.  The  Monthly  Magazine  and  Crit 
ical  Review  does  not  give  one  a  favorable  impression  of  the 


New  York  Evening  Post,  October  30,  1816. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      85 

drama :  '  The  Opera  is  a  mere  jumble  of  incidents  and  charac 
ters.  We  know  that  the  court  of  Prussia,  if  not  in  Frederick's 
time,  at  least  in  his  father's,  was  excessively  gross  in  its  man 
ners.  In  that  respect  the  author  has  been  faithful  in  his  rep 
resentation.  But  we  question,  nevertheless,  the  merit  of  the  pic 
ture."138 

In  the  drama  The  Slave,  Lindburgh,  a  German  character, 
plays  an  important  role.  Morton  is  the  author  of  the  production, 
but  according  to  Genest  he  has  modelled  some  of  his  scenes  after 
Kotzebue's  Pisarro.139 

The  revival  of  La  Perouse  (first  time  in  seven  years)  should 
be  noted,  as  well  as  the  production  of  How  to  Die  for  Love,  Oc 
tober  22  by  the  Thespian  Society.  The  same  drama  was  given 
again  by  "Amateurs  at  the  Union  Hotel".  Again  the  adaptabil 
ity  and  popularity  of  Kotzebue  is  shown  by  the  selection  of  one 
of  his  plays  for  an  amateur  entertainment. 

Summary.    (Season  1816-1817.) 

Pizarro,  September  7,  October  u,  1816,  March  19,  May 
31,  1817. 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  September  16,  October  17,  1816, 
May  8,  1817. 

The  Stranger,  October  5,  December  n,  1816,  May  16, 
1817. 

How  to  Die  for  Love  (By  the  Thespian  Society),  October 
22,  1816.  By  Amateurs  at  the  Union  Hotel,  February  24,  27, 
1817. 

Abaellino,  November  16,  18,  December  28,  1816,  May  10, 
June  10,  1817. 

The  Robbers,  November  30,  1816,  January  n  (with 
Cooper),  March  i,  April  12,  May  13,  1817. 

Fraternal  Discord,  December  30,  1816. 

Deaf  and  Dumb,  January  3,  1817. 

Lovers  Vows,  May  30,  1817. 

La  Perouse,  July  3,  1817  (first  time  in  seven  years). 


188  The  American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  I,  p.  135. 
139  Cf.  Genest,  VIII,  603. 


86      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Adelgitha,  September  6,  1816,  June  30,  1817. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  September  9,  1816,  June  14,  1817. 

Columbus,  September  n,  1816,  March  4,  1817, 

The  Point  of  Honor,  September  17,  1816,  June  10,  25,  1817. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  October  9,  10,  16,  1816,  July  2,  1817. 

The  Fortress  of  Sorrento,  October  22,  1816. 

The  Woodman  s  Hut,0  October  28,  November  i,  6,  8,  n, 
15,  December  7,  14,  27,  1816,  March  14,  April  n,  26,  May  9, 
1817. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  November  25,  1816. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  December  9,  1816. 

Rudolph,  or  The  Robbers  of  Calabria,0  January  n,  1817. 

Frederick  the  Great0  March  21,  24,  May  2,  1817. 

Tekili,  April  21,  1817. 

The  Blind  Boy  (author  uncertain;  no  cast  published),  June 
1 8,  1817. 

The  Hero  of  the  North,  June  20,  1817. 

The  Slave,0  July  4,  9,  1817. 

The  summary  shows  ten  German  plays  in  twenty-seven  per 
formances  during  the  season ;  eight  of  these  plays  are  Kotzebue's, 
which  have  seventeen  of  the  total  of  twenty-seven  performances 
to  their  credit.  Abaellino  and  The  Robbers  have  each  five  per 
formances,  more  than  any  single  one  of  the  Kotzebue  dramas. 

Season  of  1817-1818. 
(September  i,  1817,  to  July  8,  1818.) 

The  Park  continues  to  be  the  only  theatre  which  gives  regu 
lar  performances;  very  few  indeed  are  the  announcements  of 
plays  at  the  Anthony  Street  Theatre. 

There  is  a  noticeable  decline  in  the  number  of  Kotzebue 
plays  for  the  season — only  four  being  represented  during  the  en 
tire  period.  These  four  dramas  do  not  appear  nearly  so  often  as 
in  the  preceding  seasons;  none  of  them  is  given  more  than 
twice.  Pizarro,  The  Stranger,  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  Of  Age 
Tomorrow,  with  The  Robbers  and  Abaellino  complete  the  list  of 
German  plays  for  the  season. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      87 

The  lighter  afterpieces  fluctuate  greatly  from  year  to  year 
and  the  new  plays  of  uncertain  origin  are  farther  from  the  Ger 
man  than  in  the  preceding  seasons. 

Among  the  uncertain  plays  we  note  two  new  ones :  The 
Innkeeper's  Daughter  and  The  Ravens,  or  The  Force  of  Con 
science.  The  former  shows  one  German  character  in  the  cast — 
Hans  Ketzler.  Otherwise  the  play  is  said  to  be  founded  on 
Southey's  Mary,  the  Maid  of  the  Inn.140  It  may  be,  too,  that 
Hans  Ketzler  is  merely  a  comic  figure  and  indicates  no  German 
influence  whatever. 

Concerning  The  Ravens  more  information  is  available.  It 
is  founded  on  an  incident  related  in  a  French  life  of  the  great  re 
former,  Zwingli :  "In  the  Qth  century  a  monk  built  a  hermitage 
and  a  chapel  in  what  was  then  called  the  Gloomy  Forest.  After 
living  there  twenty-six  years  he  was  murdered  by  some  robbers 
who  were  discovered  in  a  miraculous  manner :  It  is  said  that 
two  crows,  which  the  Hermit  had  brought  up,  and  which  were 
his  only  companions,  pursued  the  murderers  as  far  as  Zurich, 
where  the  sinister  notes  of  the  birds  excited  the  suspicions 
against  the  two  strangers;  they  were  examined,  became  confused, 
and  at  length  confessed  their  crime.  The  chapel  was  later  en 
closed  by  a  church :  the  Church  of  Einsiedeln."141 

Lowina  of  Toboliska,1*2  or  The  Fatal  Snow-storm,  might  be 
added  to  the  list.  The  author  is  given  as  James  Barrymore,  the 
subject  is  evidently  Russian.  The  cast  follows :  Baron  Ostroff, 
Brandt,  Peterhoff,  driver  of  the  dog-sled,  and  Lowina.  Whether 
the  sources  are  French  or  German  is  uncertain. 

We  note  also  that  Cooper  again  played  Charles  de  Moor  in 
The  Robbers,  January  7,  1818,  and  that  the  drama  Frederick  the 
Great  was  put  on  twice. 

Summary.     (Season  1817-1818.) 
Pizarro,  September  18,  1817,  June  26,  1818. 
Abaellino,  September  19,  1817,  April  4,  1818. 
The  Stranger,  September  20,  1817. 

"«  Genest,  VIII,  »i. 
mG€nest,  VIII,  606-607. 

lttA  copy  (Baltimore,  1833)  has  the  title:  The  Snowstorm;  or,  Lowina  of 
Tobolskow.    Cf.  p.  134. 


88      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  October  n,  1817. 

The  Robbers,  January  7  (Cooper),  April  n,  1818. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  January  24,  1818. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Gustav  Vasa,  September  17,  1817,  February  23,  1818. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  September  17,  1817,  February  21, 
1818. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,0  September  29,  30,  October  2, 
8,  1 6,  22,  30,  November  4,  12,  27,  December  12,  24,  1817,  Janu 
ary  9,  February  7,  March  30,  May  4,  22,  1818. 

The  Ravens,0  October  6,  7,  1817. 

The  Slave,  October  7,  1817. 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  October  9,  December  31,  1817,  June 
10,  1818. 

Columbus,  October  18.  1817. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  November  3,  n,  20,  December  5,  13, 
1817,  March  4,  16,  May  8,  1818. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  November  14,  December  8,  1817. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  December  20,  January  3,  May  12,  13,  1818. 

Lowina  of  Toboilska  (?),°  January  i,  8,  21,  February  2, 
27,  March  9,  21,  June  27,  1818. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  January  9,  1818. 

Frederick  the  Great,  April  i,  June  17,  1818. 

Tekili,  June  24,  1818. 

The  summary  shows  six  German  plays  (four  of  Kotzebue  in 
five  performances)  with  nine  performances  in  all — a  very  marked 
decrease  in  comparison  to  the  preceding  two  seasons.  English 
drama  and  opera  combined  with  pantomimes  and  afterpieces  such 
as  Cinderella  and  Little  Red  Riding  Hood  hold  the  favor  of  the 
public  better  than  the  older  oft-repeated  plays. 

Season  of  1818-1819. 
(August  31,  1818,  to  July  7,  1819.) 

The  number  of  German  performances  is  materially  in 
creased  for  the  season  by  Wallack's  American  tour;143  he  alone 
is  responsible  for  the  nine  performances  of  Pizarro  in  which  he 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
1U  Wallack  remained  in  America  playing  during  the  years  September,  1818- 
May,  1820. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      89 

acted  Rolla.  Aside  from  this  the  number  is  normal.  Two  new 
plays  appear,  one  by  an  American  authoress,  but  dealing  so  dis 
tinctly  with  a  German  theme  that  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of 
treating  it  with  the  real  German  plays;  the  other  an  American 
alteration  of  one  of  the  Kotzebue  plays.  Both  of  the  plays  seem 
to  be  distinctly  American  for  no  trace  of  them  is  found  on  the 
English  stage.  The  first  Altorf  treats  the  theme  of  Swiss  liberty. 
It  made  its  appearance  at  an  opportune  moment  on  the  stage — in 
February  just  before  Washington's  Birthday.  At  such  a  time, 
when  the  thoughts  turned  to  the  struggles  of  their  fathers,  the 
people  were  in  a  receptive  mood  for  a  drama  that  dealt  with  the 
light  for  liberty  of  a  nation  which  revolted  against  wrongful 
oppression.  The  subjoined  long  article  is  quoted  from  the  New 
York  Evening  Post  of  February  23,  1819.  After  the  introduc 
tion  which  informs  the  readers  that  the  play  is  without  the  Eng 
lish  stamp  of  approval,  the  writer  continues:  "The  author  is 
unknown — he  has  trusted  his  work  to  its  own  merits  and  to  the 
unprejudiced  liberality  of  an  American  audience.  He  trusted  a 
tale  of  freedom  to  the  only  nation  where  the  cause  of  Freedom 
may  be  asserted.  To  the  subject  no  American  can  be  insensible. 
It  is  an  incident  in  the  glorious  struggle  of  the  Swiss  for  inde 
pendence.  The  Swiss  were  like  our  fathers — a  plain  and  simple 
but  virtuous,  free  and  valiant  nation.  They  acknowledged  the 
Counts  of  Hapsburgh  as  their  sovereigns  but  strictly  maintained 
their  rights,  their  franchises  and  privileges.  When  princes  of 
that  ambitious  dynasty  obtained  the  duchies  of  Austria,  Swabia 
and  the  imperial  crown,  they  began  to  infringe  the  rights  of  those 
distant  vassals.  The  bold  spirit  of  a  free  nation  rose  against 
their  usurpation.  The  story  of  Tell  and  Gessler,  are  too  well 
known  to  need  repetition  and  in  the  fields  of  Sempach  and  Mor- 
garten  those  peasants  humbled  the  pride  of  chivalry  and  nobility 
and  established  independence.  .  .  .  The  action  is  on  the  moun 
tains  of  Schwitz,  just  after  the  defeat  of  the  Austrians  at  Mor- 
garten — 1315.  The  Swiss  army  are  still  assembled  under  their 
general,  Altorf,  expecting  a  second  attack.  The  discomfited 
enemy  under  Leopold  of  Austria  have  rallied  in  the  neighbor 
hood. 


QO      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

"Eberhard  cle  Altorf  is  the  son  of  Erlach,  an  old  nobleman 
whose  enlarged,  philosophic,  and  yet  enthusiastic  mind,  struck  by 
the  example  of  the  old  heroes  of  Greece  and  Rome,  animated  by 
his  patriotic  love  for  his  country  and  a  desire  to  see  it  free  and 
happy ,  has  induced  him  to  throw  up  his  titles  and  join  the  Re 
publicans.  He  is  their  father,  their  oracle — and  the  soul  of  their 
councils.  His  stern  and  firm  patriotism  can  enter  into  no  other 
feelings  but  those  of  the  cause  which  he  has  embraced.  To  that 
he  has  sacrificed  his  rank  and  fortune — and  would  sacrifice  his 
life  and  all  that  he  holds  dear. 

"Altorf  with  most  implicit  reverence  for  his  father's  views 
and  principles,  has  followed  the  same  course — and  his  valor  and 
talents  have  raised  him  to  the  command  of  the  Swiss  armies.  By 
his  father's  desires  he  has  broken  the  ties  dearest  to  his  heart  and 
renounced  the  hand  of  a  young  lady,  his  own  cousin  and  the 
daughter  of  a  nobleman  attached  to  the  cause  of  the  imperial 
party  and  the  old  feudal  aristocracy.  He  has  even  married  the 
sister  of  one  of  the  Swiss  chieftains  to  prove  his  devotion  to  their 
party.  But  melancholy,  visionary  and  enthusiastic,  he  nourishes 
in  silent  despair  his  hopeless  now  guilty  passion.  His  character 
has  those  shades  of  weakness,  of  alternate  ardour  and  despond 
ency,  gloom  and  enthusiasm,  which  afford  the  best  subject  for 
tragedy,  for  the  alternate  emotion  of  terror  and  pity. 

"De  Rheinthal,  his  brother-in-law,  is  a  gallant,  thoughtless 
soldier.  He  has,  however,  perceived  the  coldness  of  Altorf  to  his 
sister  and  is  justly  incensed  at  it.  The  character  of  Giovanna, 
the  wife  of  Altorf  is  one  of  the  happiest  conceptions  we  have 
ever  read. 

"Rossbach,  the  nobleman,  tries  to  win  Altorf  and  Erlach 
back  to  the  imperial  party. 

"We  sincerely  wish  success  to  this  beautiful  production. 
Shall  it  be  said  that  we  must  import  for  ever  and  ever  our  litera 
ture,  our  opinions,  our  fashions,  from  England  ?  Our  country  is 
daily  becoming  more  illustrious  in  arms  and  in  the  arts  of  gov 
ernment.  It  is  time  for  the  muse  of  tragedy  to  try  her  flight  in 
America  and  we  trust  that  she  will  be  cheered  in  her  progress  by 
every  American  heart.  We  wish  the  play  success  on  another 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      91 

ground — It  is  a  republican  play  and  we  are  really  tired  of  weep 
ing  at  the  sorrows  of  kings  and  queens,  lords  and  ladies,  as  if 
our  sympathy  would  be  degraded  if  it  ever  descended  below  the 
peerage." 

The  play  did  not  become  popular  in  spite  of  this  powerful 
plea.  It  was  put  on  only  three  times  during  the  season.  The  first 
cast  was : 

Abelard  (sic!)  (for  Eberhard)  de  Altorf,          Mr.  Wallack. 
Erlach  de  Altorf,  Mr.  Pritchard. 

De  Rheintal,  Mr.  Simpson. 

Werner,  Count  of  Rossberg,  Mr.  Robertson. 

Giovanni,  Miss  Johnson. 

Rosina,  Mrs.  Barnes. 

The  author  or  rather  authoress  did  not  remain  long  un 
known.  The  drama  is  from  the  pen  of  Fanny  (Frances) 
Wright. 

The  second  new  play  appeared  during  the  summer  season  at 
the  Anthony  Street  Theatre.  It  is  the  arrangement  of  Kotze- 
bue's  Sighs,  or  The  Daughter,  as  a  comparison  of  the  casts 
shows  : 

Sighs.  Adelbert  of  Warsaw. 

Von  Snarl. 

Tilman  Totum.  Tilman  Totum. 

Hans  William.  Hans  William. 

Adelbert,  a  Polander.  Adelbert  (the  Polish  Exile). 

Leopold,  Louisa,  Mrs.  Rose. 

The  full  title  as  it  reads  on  the  announcement  is :  Adelbert 
of  Warsaw,  or  The  Polish  Exile.  (Altered  from  the  German  of 
Kotzebue  by  Mr.  Spiller. )  This  play  never  became  popular. 

Among  the  uncertain  plays  we  note  the  following  new 
dramas :  Don  Giovanni,  or  The  Spectre  on  Horseback,  a  bur 
lesque  on  Mozart's  Don  Giovanni,  The  Soldier's  Return,  The  Re 
cluse  of  the  Moor  and  Adelaide,  or  The  Emigrants.  Concern 
ing  the  first  three  nothing  definite  could  be  found.  Adelaide  has 
its  scene  of  action  in  Germany  and  one  of  the  leading  characters, 


92      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Count  Lunenburg,  is  a  German.  This  play  by  Shell  relates  how 
the  French  Count  St.  Evremont  with  his  wife  and  daughter, 
Adelaide,  escape  from  France  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  and 
find  a  refuge  in  the  domains  of  Albert,  Count  of  Lunenburg. 

Summary.    (Season  1818-1819.) 

Pizarro   (Mr.  Wallack),  September  3,   u,   18,  October  8, 
1818,  February  12,  20,  March  30,  April  7,  July  2,  1819. 
Abaellino,  October  6,  1818. 

The  Stranger,  October  19,  December  5,  April  i,  1819. 
The  Robbers,  November  n,  December  30,  1818. 
Deaf  and  Dumb,  December  21,  23,  1818. 
La  Perouse,  June  19,  1819. 
Altorf0  (Fanny  Wright),  February  19,  24,  26,  1819. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  September  19,  1818. 

Tekili,  September  24,  30,  1818. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  September  28,  1818,  January  29, 
1819. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  October  3,  24,  1818. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  October  17,  30,  1818,  March  17,  May 
10,  1819. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  October  26,  1818. 

Columbus,  November  25,  1818. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  November  25,  28,  December  2,  7, 
19,  1818,  May  6,  20,  June  28,  1819. 

The  Woodman  s  Hut,  November  30,  1818,  February  8, 
1819. 

Lowina  of  Toboilska  (?),  December  24,  1818. 

Gustav  Vasa,  February  22,  1819. 

The  Blind  Boy,  March  i,  1819. 

Don  Giovanni,  or  The  Spectre  on  Horseback,  March  8,  12, 
13,  20,  29,  April  10,  May  25,  June  25,  1819. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  April  21,  1819. 

The  Soldier's  Return0  (?),  May  14,  22,  1819. 

The  West  Indian,  May  20,  1819. 

The  Recluse  of  the  Moor0  ( ?),  May  31,  1819. 

Adelaide,  or  The  Emigrants0  (?),  June  2,  1819. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Nezv  York  Stage  to  1830      93 

Summer  Season  at  the  Anthony  Street  Theatre. 
(July  12  to  August  13,  1819.) 

Adelbert  of  Warsazv  (An  alteration  of  Sighs,  or  The 
Daughter™*),  July  12,  16,  1819. 

The  Blind  Boy  (Author  ?),  July  23,  30,  1819. 

Adelmorn  the  Outlaw,  August  6,  1819. 

The  total  number  of  German  plays  for  the  season  (summer 
season  included)  is  seven;  five  of  these  are  Kotzebue  plays  with 
seventeen  performances.  The  total  number  of  performances  of 
German  plays  for  the  season  is  twenty. 

Season  of  1819-1820. 
(August  30,  1819,  to  July  5,  1820.) 

The  German  plays  for  the  season  are :  The  Stranger,  Deaf 
and  Dumb,  Pizarro,  The  Robbers,  How  to  Die  for  Love,  Abael- 
lino,  Guilt0  (first  performance  May  8,  1820),  Adelbert,  the  Pol 
ish  Exile  and  The  Birthday,  or  Reconciliation.  The  new  play 
of  the  season  is  a  translation  of  Milliner's  Schuld,  which  brought 
forth  a  great  deal  of  comment  in  literary  circles.  The  Atheneum 
(Boston)145  published  a  long  discussion  of  the  play,  which  is  here 
reproduced : 

"Guilt  (Die  Schuld)  a  Tragedy  in  4  Acts  by  Adolphus 
Miillner. 

"Of  all  tragedies  which  have  been  brought  of  late  years 
upon  the  German  Stage,  none  has  excited  so  much  interest  as  that 
which  is  the  subject  of  this  article.  The  most  ardent  panegyrics 
have  been  lavished  upon  the  author;  he  has  been  compared  to 
Schiller,  Goethe  and  even  to  Shakespeare. 

"Mr.  M.  has  himself  protested  against  these  exaggerated 
praises,  with  a  candor  which  does  honor  to  his  high  character; 
as  his  tragedy  does  to  his  talents. 

"What  is  peculiarly  remarkable  in  this  piece  is  that,  tho  it 
seems  (and  is  indeed  considered  by  French  critics)  to  be  a  kind 
of  compromise  between  the  Romantic  or  German  and  the  regular 
or  French  Tragedy. 

444  Kotzebue's  Armuth  und  Edelsinn. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

"*  The  (Boston)  Atheneum,  Vol.  II,  pp.  251-2  (1818). 


94      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

"The  three  unities  are  observed  with  sufficient  strictness. 
The  time  is  from  evening  of  one  day  till  midnight  of  the  day  fol 
lowing;  the  scene  is  not  always  in  the  same  apartment  but  in  the 
same  Chateau ;  the  action  is  one  and  very  simple,  being  the  dis 
covery  of  a  crime  to  all  those  who  are  interested  in  it.  The 
author  has  employed  no  theatrical  parade,  no  stage  trick,  and  has 
observed  almost  rigorously  the  rigorous  precept  of  Horace :  Nee 
quarto  loqui  persona  laboret. 

"He  has  but  five  characters  and  very  rarely  introduces  more 
than  three  at  one  time.  The  characters,  however,  and  the  execu 
tion  of  the  piece,  bring  it  nearly  to  the  class  of  Romantic  Trag 
edy.  The  intrigue  is  very  simple ;  but  the  previous  develop 
ments,  which  are  necessary  to  inform  the  reader,  are  extremely 
complicated.  The  subject  of  the  piece  is  fratricide;  but  the 
author,  unwilling  to  bring  it  on  the  stage  has  invented  the  follow 
ing  story."  (Then  the  plot  is  given  in  detail.) 

The  writer  continues :  "The  true  merit  of  this  tragedy  is  in 
the  development  of  the  characters  which  are  perfectly  supported 
in  the  simplicity  of  the  action,  above  all  in  the  progressive  picture 
of  remorse  of  Hugues,  and  its  truly  terrifying  effect.  There  is  a 
profound  and  highly  tragic  moral  in  the  influence  which  the 
crime  of  Hugues  exercises  on  all  who  approach  him.  Nobody  can 
be  happy  near  him;  neither  his  wife  who  reproaches  herself  with 
having  entertained  a  guilty  passion  for  him  and  who  sees  him  a 
constant  prey  to  sombre  melancholy,  nor  the  tender  Jerta  who 
adores  him  as  she  perceives  that  he  is  not  happy — nor  the  young 
Otto,  who  seems  to  divine  that  he  is  the  murderer  of  his  father; 
lastly  Valeros  himself  cannot  find  his  second  son  without  discov 
ering  in  him  the  assassin  of  his  eldest  son.  So  many  persons  ren 
dered  unhappy  by  one  crime  really  inspire  that  pity  and  that  ter 
ror  which  according  to  the  legislator  of  the  stage,  must  purify  the 
passions. 

"Great  hopes  may  be  entertained  of  a  poet  who,  having 
waited  till  the  age  of  38  to  enter  the  lists,  announces  himself  by 
such  a  beginning." 

The  announcement  in  the  Evening  Post  for  May  8,  1820, 
simply  states  the  fact  that  the  drama  is  "translated  from  the  Ger- 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830      95 

man  of  Ad.  Mulner".  No  author  is  indicated  nor  has  any  to  my 
knowledge  been  suggested.  In  the  New  York  Public  Library 
there  is  fortunately  an  old  prompt  copy  preserved  and  the  author 
as  given  on  the  title  page  is  W.  E.  Frye,  Captain  of  Infantry  in 
His  Majesty's  Service,  London,  with  the  date  1819. 146 

The  partial  cast  as  published  in  the  Evening  Post  is  given 
with  the  full  lists  of  characters  in  the  original  and  in  the  trans 
lation  : 

New  York  Cast.  Miillner.  Frye. 

Hugo,  Count  of  Erindur.    Hugo,   Graf  von  Hugo,  Count  of  Erindur. 

Oerindur. 

Don  Valeros.  Don   Valeros.  Don     Valeros,     Grandee 

of    Spain,    Knight    of 
the   Golden   Fleece. 

Elvira.  Elvira,    seine    Gemahlin.    Elvira,   His  Wife. 

Jerta.  Jerta,   Grafin  v.  Jerta,   Sister  to  Hugo, 

Oerindur.  unmarried. 

No  further  cast  pub-         Otto,   Elvirens   Sohn.          Otto,     Elvira's     son     by 
Hshed.  her  first  marriage  and 

grandson   to  Valeros. 
Kolbert,    Kammerdiener.   Colbert,    Chamberlain   to 

Hugo. 

Holm,   Reitknecht.  Holm,   Groom. 

Diener  des   Grafen.  Stewards,  etc. 

There  were  but  two  performances  of  this  drama  during  the 
season. 

Among  the  new  plays  which  were  noted  are:  Swedish  Pa 
triotism  (another  phase  of  the  story  of  Gustavus  Vasa),  The 
Wandering  Boys,  or  The  Castle  of  Olival,  The  Gnome  King,  or 
The  Giant  Mountains,  The  Forest  of  Rosemvald,  The  Youthful 
Days  of  Frederick  the  Great,  and  The  Jew  of  Lnbeck. 

Swedish  Patriotism,  or  The  Signal  Fire,  is  a  portrayal  of 
the  struggle  of  Gustav  Vasa  against  the  Danes.  It  is  by  W.  Ab 
bott  and  is  said  to  be  founded  on  a  French  original.147  The  cast 


49  The  title  page  reads  as  follows :  "Dedicated,  by  Permission,  to  /  Her 
Royal  Highness,  the  Duchess  of  York  /  Guilt  /  or  the  /  Gipsey's  Prophecy  / 
a  Tragedy  /  by  /  Adolphus  Mullner  /  followed  by  /  Schiller's  Ideal  and  The 
Cranes  of  Ibycus  /  translated  from  the  original  German  /  by  /  W.  E.  Frye.  / 
Captain  of  Infantry  in  His  Majesty's  Service,  /  London  /  Printed  for  the 
author  /  and  sold  by  Booser  &  Son,  Old  Broad  ST.  /  and  J.  Porter,  81  Pall 
Mall.  /  1819.  /  (Price  Four  Shillings)."  In  the  Preface,  Frye  states  that  the 
translation  is  a  free  one  since  he  used  iambic  verse  of  ten  syllables  instead 
of  the  "light  trochaic  of  eight  syllables"  of  the  original. 

14T  Cf.  "Dictionary  of  National  Biography,"  Vol.  I. 


96      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

shows  Colonel  Walstein,  Captain  Albert,  Cokaski,  Barnes,  Ulrica 
and  Briska.  Danes :  Count  Cronstedt,  Colonel  Langstorff. 

The  scene  in  the  Island  of  Gothland.  Gustavus  Vasa  has 
taken  up  arms  to  free  his  country  from  the  dominion  of  the 
Danes. 

The  authorship  of  The  Wandering  Boys,  or  The  Castle  of 
Olival  is  claimed  by  the  American  playwright  M.  M.  Noah.  In  a 
letter  to  Dunlap148  (July  n,  1832)  he  writes:  "In  the  year  1812 
Mr.  Young  requested  me  to  make  a  play  for  his  wife's  benefit. 
.  .  .  I  soon  produced  the  little  piece  which  was  called  Paul  and 
Alexis,  or  The  Orphans  of  the  Rhine.  I  was  at  that  period  a  very 
active  politician  and  my  opponents  did  me  the  honour  to  go  to  the 
theatre  the  night  it  was  performed,  for  the  purpose  of  hissing  it, 
which  was  not  attempted  until  the  curtain  fell,  and  the  piece  was 
successful.  After  three  years'  absence  in  England  and  Africa, 
I  saw  the  same  piece  performed  at  the  Park  under  the  title  of 
The  Wandering  Boys  which  even  noiv  (1832)  holds  possession 
of  the  stage.  It  seems  Mr.  Young  sent  the  manuscript  to  Lon 
don,  where  the  title  was  changed,  and  the  bantling  cut  up,  altered 
and  considerably  improved."  The  cast  shows  all  French  char 
acters  :  Count  de  Croissy,  Justin,  Paul,  Lubin,  Hubert  and  the 
Baroness.  Oulton149  states  that  it  is  taken  from  the  French,  so 
it  is  questionable  whether  it  deserves  a  place  in  this  paper  at  all. 

More  important  is  the  after  piece  (largely  pantomimic) 
called  The  Gnome  King,  or  The  Giant  Mountains,  a  play  founded 
on  a  German  legend,  the  scene  of  which  is  in  the  Riesengebirge. 
The  characters  are :  Duke  Klopsteinschloffngrozen  (a  sovereign 
prince  of  Silesia),  Baron  Flonck,  his  Lord  Chamberlain,  Duke 
Sigismund,  a  sovereign  prince  of  Germany  (engaged  to  marry 
Stella),  Zauberstarf  (a  Rosicrusian  cabalist),  Umbriel,  the 
Gnome  King,  Duskobrant  (a  gnome),  Princess  Stella  (.daughter 
to  Duke  Klop. ),  Lady  Brinhilda,  favorite  lady-in-waiting.  The 
Princess  after  supper  goes  to  bathe  in  a  brook  near  the  Giant 
Mountains  and  the  Gnome  King  carries  her  off  to  his  dominions. 


141  Dunlap,  p.  382. 
m  Genest,  VIII,  423. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Ne^v  York  Stage  to  1830      97 

The  Forest  of  Rosenwald  is  an  alteration  of  Raymond  and 
Agnes,150  which  has  been  mentioned  in  this  paper.  Another  title 
by  which  an  arrangement  of  this  same  episode  in  Lewis'  Monk  is 
known  is  The  Bleeding  Nun. 

Frederick  the  Great  is  the  subject  of  another  drama  prob 
ably  of  French  origin.151  The  title  reads:  The  Youthful  Days 
of  Frederick  the  Great,  founded  on  an  historical  fact  of  Freder 
ick  William  and  his  son  (afterwards  Frederick  the  Great).  The 
cast  is:  Frederick  William  of  Prussia,  the  Prince  Royal  (con 
tracted  to  Christine),  Baron  Kniphausen  (Chancellor  of  State), 
Count  Seckendorff  (Austrian  Ambassador),  Bibrack,  an  old  Sol 
dier,  Christine  (Archduchess  of  Austria),  and  Justine  (daughter 
of  Bibrack),  Lieutenant  Anhalt.  The  Prince  is  discouraged  by 
the  severity  of  his  father  and  plans  to  flee  from  Prussia.  Anhalt 
and  Bibrack  assist  him.  The  King,  however,  discovers  the  de 
sign  and  puts  his  own  son  into  prison,  whence  by  the  aid  of  Bi 
brack  he  escapes.  The  King  on  his  daily  walk  passes  very  close 
to  the  escaped  Prince;  the  latter  by  a  clever  trick  evades  his 
father.  Suddenly  a  pistol  shot  is  heard  and  the  Chancellor  in 
forms  his  master  that  the  Prince  has  shot  himself.  The  drama 
ends  with  the  pardon  of  the  young  Prince. 

The  play  was  never  popular  yet  it  lived  for  a  number  of 
years,  until  other  dramas  centered  about  Frederick  the  Great  took 
its  place. 

The  Jew  of  Lubeck,  or  The  Heart  of  a  Father  is  said  to  be 
by  Milner;  where  he  received  his  suggestion  of  the  theme  is  un 
certain.  The  drama  deals,  as  might  be  inferred  from  the  title, 
with  nearly  all  German  characters.  The  Jew  is  in  reality  Count 
Donamar,  an  Austrian  nobleman,  who  to  escape  punishment  as  a 
traitor,  fled  to  Liibeck  and  assumed  the  character  of  a  Jew.  The 
complete  cast  is  as  follows:  The  Jew,  Young  Donamar,  Von 
Fursten  (servant  to  the  Jew),  Magliano  and  Stefano  (villains), 
Lindor,  Prince  Frederick  of  Austria,  Jella  (daughter  of  Von 


"°  Cf.  announcement  in  Evening  Post,  April  26,  1820. 

m  Cf.  "Dictionary  of  National  Biography,"  Vol.  I   (Under  Abbott)  ;  also 


Genest,  VIII,  653. 


98      German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Fursten),  and  Rosa.  This  completes  the  list  of  new  plays  for 
the  season — a  larger  and  more  interesting  list  than  we  have  had 
since  the  early  days  of  the  Kotzebue  rage. 

Summary.      (Season  1819-1820.) 

The  Stranger,  September  18,  1819,  March  n,  1820. 

Deaf  and  Dumb,  October  20,  1819,  April  10,  1820. 

Pizarro,  October  27,  December  13,  1819,  February  22  (one 
scene),152  March  20  (with  Mr.  Brown  of  Boston),  May  10,  May 
18  (4th  and  5th  Acts),153  1820. 

The  Robbers,  November  12,  1819. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  December  10,  31,  1819. 

Abaellino,  March  6,  April  15,  1820. 

Guilt,0  May  8,  13,  1820. 

Adelbert,  the  Polish  Exile  (Anthony  Street  Theatre),  June 
14,  22,  i820.154 

The  Birthday,  or  The  Reconciliation  (Anthony  St.),  July 
3,  1820. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Blind  Boy,  September  2,  October  15,  1819. 

The  West  Indian,  September  8,  1819,  May  4,  1820. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  October  6,  1819,  March  30,  May 
9,  1820. 

The  Jezv  of  Lubeck,0  October  8,  12,  1819. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  October  16,  November  n,  1819,  March 
7,  April  8,  May  3,  1820. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  October  16,  November  n,  1819. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  October  28,  1819,  March  28,  1820. 

Woodman's  Hut,  November  5,  22,  1819,  March  3,  1820. 


153  At  a  Benefit  for  the  Charleston  sufferers  at  Washington  Hall.     One 
scene  from  Pizarro  was  given,  one  from  Alfonso,  and  three  from  Barbarossa. 

m  For  the  Benefit  of   Mr.  Wallack.     Selections   from  the  Merchant   of 
Venice  and  other  plays  with  the  fourth  and  fifth  Acts  of  Pizarro  were  given. 
0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

154  On  May  25  before  the  performance  the  Park  Theatre  was  destroyed 
by  fire ;  performances  were,  however,  resumed  May  29  at  the  Anthony  Street 
Theatre,  which  had  been  idle.    The  Anthony  Street  Theatre  continued  to  do 
service  until  the  summer  of    1821,  when  it  was  torn  down;   the  New   Park 
Theatre  was  completed  in  time  for  the  opening  of  the  season  of  1821-1822. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830      99 

Swedish  Patriotism,0  December  i,  2,  7,  16,  1819,  March 
25,  May  13,  1820. 

Lowina  of  Toboliska,  December  6,  1819,  February  29,  1820. 

Gustav  Vasa,  February  22,  1820. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  or  The  Castle  of  Olivalt°  March  16, 
18,  23,  April  6,  12,  21,  May  5,  July  3,  1820. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  March  17,  April  18,  1820. 

Adelgitha,  April  4,  1820. 

Mary,  the  Maid  of  the  Inn=Innkeeper's  Daughter,  April  5, 
1820. 

The  Gnome  King,0  or  The  Giant  Mountains,  April  14,  22, 

May  2,  20,  1820. 

The  Forest  of  Rosenwald,0  April  26,  29,  May  4,  17,  1820. 

The  Youthful  Days  of  Frederick  the  Great,0  May  i,  1820. 

Matrimony,  May  22,  1820. 

The  summary  shows  nine  German  plays  with  but  nineteen 
performances155  during  the  season;  six  of  the  nine  plays  and 
fourteen  of  the  performances  are  of  Kotzebue. 

Season  of  1820-1821. 
(September  4,  1820,  to  July  6,  1821.) 

A  decided  reaction  from  the  German  interest  of  the  preced 
ing  season  is  noticeable.  There  are  no  new  German  plays  to  re 
port,  and  of  the  uncertain  ones  most  seem  to  be  of  French  origin, 
at  least  the  characters  concerned  bear  French  names.  Only  four 
German  plays  are  put  on :  The  Stranger,  How  to  Die  for  Love, 
Fraternal  Discord  and  Abaellino.  They  had  a  total  of  eight  per 
formances. 

The  most  popular  among  the  uncertain  plays  are  The  Wan 
dering  Boys  and  a  new  drama  by  J.  Howard  Payne  called 
Therese,  or  The  Orphan  of  Geneva.  The  Swiss  setting  is  count 
erbalanced  by  the  fact  that  the  play  is  very  evidently  an  adapta 
tion  from  the  French,  which  is  apparent  from  the  cast  of  charac 
ters  and  from  the  author's  preface. 

We  note  also  the  revival  of  The  Slave  by  Morton. 1Bfl 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 
158  The  one  scene  (February  22)  is  not  included. 

169  Among  the  plays  listed  is  a  new  one,  The  Fortune  of  War — the  names 
in  the  cast  are  clearly  used  for  ridicule.    They  are :  Captain  Greenstock,  Alltop, 


TOO    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Summary.    (Season  1820-1821.) 

The  Stranger,  September  13,  December  27,  1820,  March  9, 
1821. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  October  19,  30,  December  22,  1820. 
Fraternal  Discord,  March  3,  1821. 
Abaellino,  April  23,  1821. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  September  14,  21,  October  3,  13,  25, 
November  15,  1820,  March  9,  May  10,  1821. 

A  del  git  ha,  October  16,  1820,  April  24,  May  26,  1821. 

The  Fortune  of  War,0156  November  18,  27,  1820. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  November  21,  December  23,  1820,  June  7, 
1821. 

Travellers  Benighted,  or  The  Forest  of  Rosemvald,0  Janu 
ary  1,5,  February  22,  March  6,  29,  May  16,  June  16,  1821. 

Gustav  Vasa,  February  22,  1821. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  April  21,  1821. 

Therese,  the  Orphan  of  Geneva,0  April  30,  May  2,  4,  8,  22, 
June  9,  13,  1821. 

The  Slave,  May  19,  June  29,  1821. 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  June  4,  15,  1821. 

Matrimony,  June  15,  20,  1821. 

Tekili,  June  22,  30,  1821. 

Four  German  plays  in  eight  performances. 

Season  of  1821-1822. 
(September  i,  1821,  to  July  6,  1822.) 

With  this  season  the  New  Park  Theatre  begins  its  career. 
The  list  of  plays  for  the  season  is  an  unusually  large  one,  and 
they  have  more  nearly  an  equal  number  of  performances.  The 
American  stage  was  in  very  close  touch  with  the  English,  par 
ticularly  the  London  stage.  It  is  necessary  to  cite  only  a  few 


Farmer  Gruntum,  Vanderscamp,  Mrs.  Toughindorf  and  Adela.  The  play  prob 
ably  does  not  treat  of  anything  German  but  is  interesting  in  showing  that  the 
Germans  were  used  either  as  villains  or  as  the  butts  of  the  English  jokes. 
0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    101 

dates  to  show  how  quickly  the  plays  which  had  been  performed 
in  London  were  put  on  in  New  York.  Matchbreaking,  one  of 
the  season's  novelties,  was  first  acted  at  the  Haymarket  Theatre 
September  20,  1821 ;  December  19,  1821,  it  was  staged  in  New 
York.  The  Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great  was  given  at  the 
Covent  Garden  Theatre  December  i,  1821,  in  New  York  April 
19,  1822.  Adeline,  the  Victim  of  Seduction,  was  first  performed 
at  the  Drury  Lane  Theatre  February  9,  1822;  it  was  played  in 
New  York  May  i,  1822.  These  few  illustrations  serve  to  show 
how  closely  the  English  stage  was  still  followed.  On  the  other 
hand,  new  life  is  apparent  in  the  purely  American  plays  and 
farces  which  begin  to  come  in  in  noticeable  numbers.  American 
history  is  reflected  in  the  greater  part  of  them,  e.  g.,  The  Green 
Mountain  Boys,  Marion,  the  Hero  of  Lake  George,  The  Spy 
(from  Cooper's  novel),  The  Siege  of  Tripoli,  The  Grand  Tourt 
or  The  Stop  at  Rochester,  and  Oh,  Yes,  or  The  Constitution. 

There  were  no  new  German  plays.  Among  the  plays  that 
may  show  some  German  influence  we  find  four  new  ones :  Match- 
breaking,  Adeline,  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction,  Frcdolpho  and 
The  Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great. 

Matchbreaking  by  Kenney  has  the  following  characters: 
The  Prince,  Baron  de  Stromberg,  Count  de  Fallowitz,  Edgar, 
Theodore,  Emma,  The  Baroness  and  Paulina.  The  Prince  is  in 
troduced  into  the  family  of  the  Baron  as  Professor  Hoffman  of 
Gottingen.  His  true  identity  is  not  revealed  until  a  present 
which  he  has  sent  to  Emma  arrives. 

In  the  play  entitled  The  Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great 
we  have  in  dramatic  form  the  anecdote  of  the  page  who  was  dis 
covered  sleeping  by  the  king.  Frederick  places  a  rouleau  of 
money  in  the  pocket  of  Augustus,  the  sleeping  page.  The  dis 
honest  page,  Theodore,  claims  that  he  had  just  lost  the  very 
same  rouleau.  The  characters  concerned  are  Frederick  the 
Great,  Phelps  (hotelkeeper),  Theodore,  Augustus,  Madame 
Phelps,  Madame  Ritzberg  (the  mother  of  Augustus)  and  Caro 
line,  her  daughter.  As  was  the  case  with  the  other  plays  about 
Frederick  the  Great,  this  play  also  is  taken  from  the  French.  It 
was  adapted  to  the  English  stage  by  Poole. 


IO2    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

A  drama  by  John  Howard  Payne  called  Adeline,  or  The  Vic 
tim  of  Seduction1^1  also  "altered  from  the  French  and  adapted 
to  the  English  stage"158  plays  in  Germany.  The  characters  are : 
Prince  Durstein  (the  sovereign's  favorite  prime  minister), 
Count  Wilhelm,  his  son,  Baron  Rimberg,  Dorlin,  Kertzler  (the 
gardener),  Gratz  (Wilhelm's  valet),  Adeline  (Dorlin's  daugh 
ter),  Countess  Blanche  (wife  of  Wilhelm). 

Fredolpho,  too,  a  drama  by  an  Englishman  (Maturin)  treats 
a  subject  related  to  the  German — in  the  manner  of  a  Tell,  namely 
a  struggle  of  the  Swiss  against  tyranny.  Fredolpho,  a  noted 
Swiss  patriot  of  the  fourteenth  century,  who  has  murdered  the 
father  of  the  present  Austrian  governor,  Wallenberg,  is  the  hero. 
Wallenberg,  however,  does  not  know  the  murderer  of  his  father 
until  he  sues  for  the  hand  of  Urilda,  the  daughter  of  Fredolpho. 
He  is  refused  and  at  the  same  time  learns  of  Fredolpho' s  deed 
The  latter  is  imprisoned,  but  rescued  from  death  by  the  aid  of 
Adelmar  and  the  Swiss  party.  The  characters  are :  Fredolpho, 
Wallenberg  (Austrian  Governor  of  Switzerland),  Adelmar  and 
Urilda,  the  daughter  of  Fredolpho.  The  scene  is  near  St.  Got- 
thard,  but  the  third  act  shifts  to  Altdorf. 

Concerning  a  possible  fifth  play,  The  Russian  Imposter, 
nothing  but  the  cast  and  the  fact  that  it  was  a  musical  comedy 
could  be  found.  The  cast  from  Ireland159  is  as  follows :  Colonel 
Pisberg,  Duke  Zamoski,  Osco,  Pugatcheff,  Lowdoberg,  Kiski, 
Rosa,  Adela,  Liska. 

Summary.    (Season  1821-1822.) 

The  Robbers,  September  15,  22,  October  16,  November  15, 
1821,  January  4,  April  9,  May  18,  June  29,  1822. 

The  Stranger,  September  20,  1821,  January  26,  March  2, 
1822. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  October  i,  10,  November  20,  1821, 
April  i,  1822. 


IM  In  the  Clothier  Collection  of  the  Library  of  the  University  of  Penn 
sylvania. 

168  Cf.  the  title-page. 
***  Ireland,  I,  p.  400. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    103 

Abaellino,  October  4,  December  31,  1821. 

The    Virgin    of    the    Sun,  November  7,  17,  December  12, 
1821. 

Pizarro,  November  21,  28,  1821,  January  29,  February  20, 
June  12,  1822. 

Lovers'  Vows,  January  18,  1822. 

Fraternal  Discord,  May  8,  10,  1822. 

The  Stranger,  July  6,  1822.     (At  the  City  Theatre,  formerly 
Broadway  Circus.) 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  September  n,  October  16,  December 
3,  29,  1821,  March  13,  May  18,  June  15,  1822. 

Matrimony,  September  12,  October  31,  December  17,  1821, 
March  15,  May  15,  July  5,  1822. 

Tekili,  September  27,  October  23,  1821. 

The  Forest  of  Rosenwald,  September  28,  October  6,  24,  No 
vember  22,  December  20,  1821. 

The  Slave,  October  3,  1821. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,    October  17,  29,    November  14,    1821, 
January  28,  April  10,  1822. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  October  22,  1821. 

Matchbreaking,0  December  19,  22,  1821. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  December  19,  21,  26,  1821,  Jan 
uary  3,  12,  February  7,  March  2,  28,  1822. 

Valentine    and    Orson,    December  27,   1821,    January  25, 
June  13,  1822. 

Lowina  of  Toboliska  ( ?),  January  9,  22,  March  18,  1822. 

The  West  Indian,  March  5,  1822. 

Adelgitha,  March  15,  1822. 

The  Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great,0  April  19,  23,  May 
9,  26,  June  1 8,  July  6,  1822. 

The  Russian  Imposter0  (?),  April  29,  1822. 

Adeline,  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction,0  May  i,  2,  7,  30,  July 
i,  1822. 

The  Exile  of  Siberia,1™  May  20,  25,  June  13,  1822. 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  May  22,  31,  June  8,  22,  1822. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

160  The  Exile  was  revived  in  England  during  this  season,  then  in  America. 


104    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Hero  of  the  North,  May  24,   June  i,  July  5,  1822. 

Fredolpho,0  June  14,  18,  1822. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  June  14,  July  2,  1822. 

During  this  season  there  were  eight  German  plays  (all  old 
and  well-known  ones)  performed  twenty-nine  times.  The  Robbers 
leads  in  number  of  performances,  having  eight,  while  Pizarro,  the 
most  popular  of  the  Kotzebue  plays,  has  five. 

Season  of  1822-1823. 
(September  9,  1822,  to  July  4,  1823.) 

The  company  began  performances  in  the  Broadway  Circus 
because  the  yellow  fever  was  raging  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Park 
Theatre.  Not  until  November  2  did  the  latter  place  of  amuse 
ment  open  its  doors.  The  season  on  the  whole  is  not  interesting 
—there  is  a  lack  of  novelties  among  the  German  plays,  and  but 
two  pantomime  plays  among  the  plays  which  might  show  Ger 
man  influences.  There  are  two  revivals  of  older  plays — one  re 
vised  to  suit  the  popular  demands  for  a  pantomime  and  the  other 
performed  under  the  English  title,  The  Birthday,  or  The  Veteran 
Tars.lG1  La  Perouse  as  a  pantomime  holds  the  stage  for  a  num 
ber  of  years. 

The  new  uncertain  plays  are  All  in  the  Dark,  or  The  Banks 
of  the  Elbe,  and  The  Blood  Red  Knight.  No  trace  of  the  first 
play  could  be  found — there  is  no  copy  in  the  New  York  libraries 
and  none  of  the  histories  of  the  stage  mention  a  drama  by  that 
name.  The  Blood  Red  Knight  is  also  without  identification ;  no 
cast  was  printed  and  Ireland  merely  gives  the  date  of  what  he 
assumes  is  the  first  performance.162 

The  German  plays  for  the  season  are :  The  Stranger,  How 
to  Die  for  Love,  The  Robbers,  Abaellino,  Pizarro,  Fraternal 
Discord,  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  Of  Age  Tomorrow  and  during 
the  summer  La  Perouse,  at  the  Broadway  Circus ;  The  Birthday, 
or  The  Veteran  Tars,0  at  the  Chatham  Garden. 


0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

41  Title  of  an  English  translation  of  Kotzebue's  Der  Bruderziwst,  which 
is  better  known  on  the  American  stage  in  Dunlap's  version  Fraternal  Dis 
cord.  Cf.  p.  41  of  this  paper. 

1M  Ireland  gives  January  n,  1828,  as  date  of  first  performance.  Ireland 
Vol.  I,  p.  582. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    105 

Summary.      (Season  1822-1823.) 

The  Stranger,  September  12,  October  i,  1822,  January  6, 
1823. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  September  18,  1822,  January  10, 
May  2,  1823. 

The  Robbers,  October  17,  November  19,  1822,  June  14, 
1823. 

Abaellino,  October  26,  1822,  July  3,  1823. 

Pizarro,  October  28,  December  21,  27,  1822,  February  7, 
22,163  1823. 

Fraternal  Discord,  February  i,  1823. 

The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  April  19,  May  17,  1823. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  May  31,  1823. 

Summer  Season. 

La  Perouse  (Broadway  Circus),  July  i,  3,  4,  7,  August  16, 
1823. 

The  Birthday,  or  The  Veteran  Tars  (Chatham  Garden), 
July  14,  17,  1823. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  September  13,  October  3,  November 
16,  1822,  April  26,  1823. 

The  Slave,  September  25,  October  25,  1822,  May  10,  1823. 

The  Hero  of  the  North,  October  4,  December  17,  1822. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  October  7,  15,  1822,  April  15,  1823. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  October  8,  17,  November  23, 
1822,  January  20,  February  19,  1823. 

Adeline,  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction,  October  n,  24,  1822. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  October  18,  26,  November  12, 
December  14,  1822,  April  22,  1823. 

The  Demi's  Bridge,  October  21,  29,  1822,  March  6,  May  21, 
1823. 

The  Forest  of  Rosenwald,  October  23,  31,  1822,  January  4, 
May  20,  June  10,  1823. 


183  Pizarro  and  The  Woodman's  Hut  have  the  honor  of  forming  the  enter 
tainment  for  Washington's  Birthday. 


106    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  November  25,  December  18,  1822, 
February  22,  March  19,  April  29,  May  23,  June  21,  1823. 

All  in  the  Dark,  or  The  Banks  of  the  Elbe0  ( ?),  December 
5,  20,  1822. 

Columbus,  December  5,  1822,  April  10,  1823. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  December  31,  1822,  January  3,  9,  21, 
February  6,  20,  April  21,  May  28,  1823. 

A  del  git  ha,  Marcli  25,  May  i,  1823. 

Tekili,  April  12,  June  19,  27,  1823. 

The  Exile  of  Siberia,  June  18,  July  2,  1823. 

Summer  Season. 

Matrimony  (Broadway  Circus),  July  10,  1823. 

The  Blood  Red  Knight0  (?),  August  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  28, 
1823.  (Broadway  Circus.) 

There  were  eight  German  plays  presented  in  twenty  per 
formances  during  the  regular  season.  Pizarro  has  more  per 
formances  than  any  other  single  play  and  also  has  the  distinction 
of  being  chosen  for  February  22.  During  the  summer  we  note 
the  revival  of  La  Perouse  and  the  performance  of  the  English 
translation  of  Der  Bruderzwist ;  the  former  had  five  perform 
ances  and  the  latter  two,  thus  making  the  total  number  of  plays 
ten  and  the  number  of  performances  twenty-seven. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Season  of  1823-1824. 

(September  i,  1823,  to  July  5,  1824,  at  the  Park.) 
An  unusually  large  number  of  performances  are  recorded, 
owing  to  the  popularity  of  the  two  summer  theatres,  Broadway 
Circus  and  The  Chatham  Garden  Theatre,  which  was  opened 
May  17,  1824.  For  a  time,  May,  June  and  part  of  July,  three 
daily  performances  were  offered  to  the  public.  There  are  Ger 
man  plays  to  record  at  each  of  the  three  play-houses — of  course 
the  old  favorites  were  given  at  each  of  the  theatres,  but  the  un 
questioned  success  of  the  season  was  Undine,  or  The  Spirit  of 
the  Waters,  which  was  brought  out  at  the  Park  November  25, 
1823,  and  played  exclusively  in  that  theatre  during  this  season. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    107 

Fouque's  Undine  (1811)  had  been  translated  by  Soane  into 
English  as  early  as  i8i8;164  the  dramatic  form  appears  in  1823. 
From  the  very  first  the  play  was  popular  as  its  twenty-one  per 
formances  during  the  first  season  will  attest.  The  weirdness  of 
the  play  with  the  elaborate  staging  and  water-effects  helped  no 
doubt  in  a  great  measure  to  attract  the  public.  The  following 
comment  from  the  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Ga 
zette  (December  6,  1823)  gives  a  short  resume  of  the  plot:  "The 
new  drama  Undine,  or  The  Spirit  of  the  Waters,  is  becoming 
quite  popular,  and  we  are  bound  to  say  deservedly  so.  The  eye  is 
delighted  with  the  spectacle. 

"Undine  is  the  production  of  Mr.  Soane,  who  in  his  various 
dramatic  works  gives  ample  evidence  of  a  mind  of  no  ordinary 
capacity.  .  .  .  Undine,  the  heroine,  is  a  character  hard  to  de 
fine  though  herself  mortal,  she  equally  arrests  the  love  of  the 
grim  Kuhleborn,  the  Waterking,  and  the  gallant  knight,  Sir  Huld- 
brand.  The  Rosicrucian  Seer  is  her  mysterious  protector  against 
the  arts  of  Kuhleborn,  who  is  aided  by  a  goblin  spirit  of  the  'Gil- 
pin  Homer'  class,  who  at  his  pleasure,  is  either  mortal  or  a 
'goblin-fiend/ 

"The  most  striking  scene  in  the  piece  is  the  one  in  which  the 
tributary  waters  of  Kuhleborn  are  called  forth  by  his  sprite  em 
issary,  to  impede  the  union  or  meeting  of  Undine  with  Sir  Huld- 
brand.  The  waters  are  made  to  rush  tempestuously  across  the 
stage,  producing  an  effect  never  before  attempted  on  our  boards/' 

The  first  performance  of  this  very  popular  drama  took  place 
November  25,  1823,  with  the  following  cast: 

New  York  Cast.  Characters  in  Fouque's  Tale. 

Sir  Huldbrand  of  Mr.  Simpson.  Huldbrand,    Ritter   v. 

Ringstetten,  Ringstetten. 

Walter    (a  fisherman),  Mr.  Kent.  Fischer. 

Bridget    (his   wife),  Mrs.  Wheatley.  Seine  Frau. 

Undine,  Miss  Johnson.  Undine. 

Bertalda,  Miss  E.  Placide.  Bertalda. 
The  Water  King 

(Kuhleborn),  Mr.  Clarke.  Der  lange  weisse  Mann. 

The  Goblin  Sprite,  Mr.  Ried.  Das  Mannkin  im  Walde. 

The   Rosicrucian   Seer,  Mr.  Woodhull.  Ein  Priester. 


1<l4  Cf.  Wilkens,  p.  199,  Nos.  179  and  180.  ''Undine:  a  Tale  from  the 
German,  Boston,  1824,  and  Philadelphia,  1824.  Possibly  a  Reprint  of  :  Undine, 
translated  from  the  German  by  G.  Soane,  London,  1818." 


io8    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

A  second  German  production  which  did  not  attract  the  gen 
eral  attention  of  the  public  as  much  as  Undine  is  the  opera  The 
Marriage  of  Figaro,  by  Mozart,  adapted  to  the  English  stage  by 
Bishop.  Its  first  performance  in  English  in  America  was  at  the 
Park  May  10,  1824.  The  music  pleased  the  audience,  if  we  may 
believe  the  report  in  the  Evening  Post:  "This  splendid  opera  was 
performed  for  the  first  time  in  this  country  on  Monday  evening 
(May  10,  1824),  in  a  manner  which  surpassed  all  expectations  and 
which  reflects  the  greatest  credit  upon  the  manager.  It  was  the  best 
musical  entertainment  we  have  ever  enjoyed.  The  splendid  chor 
uses  and  finales  and  the  songs  and  duetts  of  Mozart  were  per 
formed  with  uncommon  effect ;  and  the  audience  evinced  by  their 
attention  and  applause  that  they  knew  how  to  appreciate 
them."165 

The  opera  was  first  cast  as  follows : 

Count  Almaviva,  Figaro,  Fiorella,  Antonio,  Cherubino, 
Countess,  Susana,  Barbarina.166 

Another  drama  which  plays  in  Germany,  although  the  sub 
ject  was  perhaps  suggested  by  the  visit  of  LaFayette  to  America 
in  1824.  The  play  was  intended  to  draw  American  audiences, 
but  after  two  performances  it  failed.  The  New  York  Mirror  and 
Ladies'  Gazette™1  brings  notices  of  it  which  are  enlightening: 
"La  Fayette  at  Olmntz.  It  (the  play)  is  founded  on  the  daring 
and  partially  successful  attempt  of  an  American  gentleman168 
and  a  Hanoverian,  by  the  name  of  Bollmann,  to  rescue  La 
Fayette  from  the  long  imprisonment  in  Olmutz  (Germany)." 

The  same  paper  in  the  issue  of  February  28,  1824,  adds  the 
subjoined  note :  "The  author  supposes  that  the  Governor  of  Ol 
mutz  has  a  lovely  daughter  called  Ellen,  who  has  been  for  some 
time  residing  with  a  maternal  aunt  at  Vienna  and  who  has  just 
returned  home  in  company  with  her  aunt,  when  the  piece  com 
mences.  During  her  visit  at  Vienna,  Ellen  has  exchanged  hearts 
with  the  young  American,  Huger,  who  danced  with  her  at  a  ball 

'*"  New  York  Evening  Post  for  May  12,  1824. 

1M  Ireland,  Vol.  I,  p.  429. 

w  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  February  21,  1824. 

"  The  name  is  given  as  Mr.  Huger. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    109 

given  by  her  uncle,  the  Baron  de  Berern.  She  has  now  returned 
to  Olmutz  on  the  same  day  that  Huger  and  Balman  (sic!)  had 
entered  it  incog,  for  the  purpose  of  executing  their  scheme  of  lib 
erating  La  Fayette." 

The  author  of  the  drama  as  given  in  New  York  is  Samuel 
Woodworth ;  a  play  by  the  same  title  was  performed  in  Philadel 
phia,  in  September,  1824,  the  author,  however,  is  Walter  Lee, 
Esq.169 

Three  other  new  plays  are  of  uncertain  origin ;  they  are  in 
all  probability  pantomimic  in  character.  The  titles  are:  Sisters, 
or  The  Heroines  of  Switzerland,  The  Merry  Swiss  Peasants  and 
The  Fisherman's  Hut.  All  were  produced  at  the  Broadway  Cir 
cus  and  no  cast  can  be  found. 

Summary.     (Park  Theatre,  Season  1823-1824.) 

Pizarro,  October  13,  21,  December  24,  1823,  March  16, 
June  7,  1824. 

Undine,  The  Spirit  of  the  Waters,0  November  25,  27,  De 
cember  2,  4,  9,  n,  16,  30,  1823,  January  17,  29,  February  10, 
19,  March  16,  26,  April  22,  23,  May  4,  12,  25,  June  10,  July  2, 
1824. 

Fraternal  Discord,170  December  9,  1823,  April  20,  1824. 

The  Robbers,  March  20,  April  22,  23,  1824. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  April  14,  1824. 

The  Marriage  of  Figaro  °  May  10,  14,  21,  June  i,  8,  1824. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  September  16,  November  4,  De 
cember  13,  1823,  March  20,  1824. 

The  Exile  of  Siberia,  October  31,  1823,  February  3,  1824. 
The  Devil's  Bridge,  November  5,  10,  1823,  March  15,  1824. 

169  La  Fayette:  or  The  Fortress  of  Olmutz:  /  A  Melodrama  /  in  /  Three 
Acts  /  Founded  on  events  in  the  life  of  General  La  Fayette  /  By  /  Walter 
Lee,  Esq.  /  Philadelphia  /  1824.  The  play  is  said  to  have  been  written  in 
three  days. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

"°  The  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  in  commenting  on 
the  performance  of  December  9,  1823,  calls  Fraternal  Discord  one  of  the 
best  comedies  in  the  English  language.  "It  is  with  regret  that  we  find  the 
legitimate  drama  thrown  aside  and  in  its  place  substituted  such  trash  as 
Tom  and  Jerry,  etc.  .  .  .  Since  writing  the  above,  we  have  witnessed  one 


no    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Ella  Rosenberg,  November  6,  20,  1823,  February  14,  1824. 

Adeline,  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction,  November  18,  1823, 
May  14,  1824. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  November  22,  December  20,  1823, 
January  29,  April  26,  May  6,  14,  1824. 

Matrimony,  December  i,  1823,  March  13,  1824. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  December  31,  1823. 

Swedish  Patriotism,  January  i,  3,  27,  February  12,  27, 
March  19,  April  6,  1824. 

Lourina  of  Toboilska,  January  i,  15,  February  20,  March 
23,  1824. 

The  Slave,  January  22,  1824. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  February  5,  1824. 

La  Fayette,0  or  The  Castle  of  Olmuts,  February  23,  March 
23,  1824. 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  February  25,  March  29,  May  i,  June 
i,  1824. 

The  Blind  Boy  (  ?),  May  28,  1824. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  February  28,  1824. 

Plays  at  the  Chatham  Garden  Theatre. 
The  Stranger,  June  3,  26,  August  14,  1824. 
Of  Age  Tomorrow,  June  2,  July  i,  August  25,  1824. 
How  to  Die  for  Love,  June  18,  July  17,  1824. 
Abaellino,  July  20,  1824. 

Matrimony,  May  24,  June  23,  1824. 

Adelgitha,  June  8,  1824. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  July  3,  15,  1824. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  June  10,  1824. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  June  18,  July  3,  1824. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  August  21,  1824. 

Plays  at  the  Broadway  Circus. 
La  Perouse,  June  4,  5,  30,  July  28,  29,  1824. 


of  the  best  comedies  in  the  English  language:  we  mean  Fraternal  Discord, 
which    was    presented    this    evening    and    received    with    much    well-merited 
applause."     (New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I,  p.  158.) 
0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  Neiv  York  Stage  to  1830    1 1 1 

The  Blood  Red  Knight,  May  19,    20,  1824. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  May  24,  25,  26,  August  1 1,  1824. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  May  28,  29,  August  6,  1824. 

The  Blind  Boy  (  ?),  June  9,  10,  1824. 

Sisters,  or  The  Heroines  of  Switzerland,0  June  16,  17,  Aug 
ust  23,  1824. 

7V^  Merry  Swiss  Peasants,0  July  14,  15,  16,  17,  23,  24, 
1824. 

7Vz£  Fisherman's  Hut,  August  9,  10,  1824. 

Tekili,  August  12,  1824. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  August  16,  18,  1824. 

The  success  of  Undine  materially  increases  the  totals  for  the 
Park  Theatre;  it  alone  has  twenty-one  performances.  The  num 
ber  of  German  plays  is  less  than  usual ;  six  plays  in  thirty-six 
performances.  Pizarro  still  maintains  its  popularity,  while  the 
number  of  performances  for  The  Robbers  decreases. 

At  the  Chatham  Garden  Theatre  the  German  plays  form  an 
important  part  of  the  season's  offerings.  Four  are  represented  in 
nine  performances,  the  three  Kotzebue  dramas  being  the  more 
popular.  The  Stranger,  played  June  3,  called  forth  the  follow 
ing  comment:171  "This  interesting  production  from  the  muse  of 
Kotzebue,  altho  somewhat  tinctured  with  German  extrava 
gance,  must  always  be  a  favorite.  The  author  has  so  happily 
blended  the  divine  influence  of  religion  upon  the  hearts  of  Love, 
in  defiance  of  the  stoical  opinions  of  a  mis-judging  world,  that 
its  representation  carries  along  with  it  the  fascination  to  a  sensi 
tive  mind,  the  intents  of  which,  could  they  be  observed,  would  in 
the  judgment  of  many,  greatly  diminish  the  effects  generally  at 
tendant  on  the  least  aberration  from  female  propriety,  where  fault 
oftener  generates  from  an  overwhelming  effervescence  of  passion 
than  from  deliberate  error.  But  as  it  is  not  our  design  to  discuss 
the  merits  of  a  play  so  sanctioned  by  public  approbation  as  to  de 
scribe  the  ability  of  its  representations,  further  remarks  on  this 
head  might  be  deemed  obtrusive.  We  only  add  in  the  language 
of  the  immortal  bard — 

"  '  Who  by  repentance  is  not  satisfied 
Is  not  of  heaven  nor  of  earth.' 


0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

m  From  the  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette  for  June  12, 


ii2    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

A  minute  criticism  of  the  actors  follows.  The  play  must 
have  appealed  to  the  writer  and  to  the  public  to  cause  such  a  high 
tribute  to  be  paid  to  it. 

The  season  at  the  Broadway  Circus  brings  but  one  play 
(in  pantomime  form),  La  Perousc,  in  five  performances. 

In  combining  the  totals  of  the  three  theatres  for  their  var 
ious  seasons,  we  find  that  from  September,  1823,  to  September, 
1824,  nine  different  German  plays  were  given  in  forty-five  per 
formances — the  plays  are  for  the  most  part  by  Kotzebue  (three 
being  excepted :  The  Robbers,  Abaellino  and  Undine}  ;  that  Un 
dine  has  nearly  one-half  of  the  whole  number  of  performances 

to  its  credit. 

Season  of  1824-1825. 

(August  30,  1824,  to  July  5,  i825.)172 
During  this  long  and  busy  season  there  are  not  as  many  Ger 
man  plays  to  be  noted  as  might  be  expected,  but  the  number  of 
plays  related  to  the  German  or  showing  German  influence  is  very 
large.  Two  regular  theatres  during  the  whole  season  increase  the 
length  of  the  lists  and  even  the  summer  season  adds  its  contribu 
tion.  The  Chatham  Garden  Theatre  developed  into  a  formidable 
rival  of  the  New  Park,  and  as  in  the  preceding  year  seems  to 
favor  the  strong  plays  of  Kotzebue.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
certain  plays  have  retained  their  attraction  for  the  public :  Pizarro, 
The  Robbers,  Lovers'  Vows,  Of  Age  Tomorrozv,  and  How  to 
Die  for  Love  may  always  be  expected  among  the  season's  offer 
ings.  Some  of  the  later  plays  are  more  ephemeral — as  is  the  case 
with  Undine.  We  remember  its  astonishing  success  during  the 
preceding  season  and  wonder  that  it  does  not  appear  again  in  the 
following  year. 

The  Park  brings  out  the  successful  German  novelty  of  the 
season :  Weber's  Freischutz.  Although  sung  in  English  the  Ger 
man  title  is  retained  in  all  the  announcements,  with  the  umlaut 
omitted.  The  opera  immediately  attained  popularity — but  few 

73  These  dates  are  for  the  Park ;  the  other  theatres  had  no  set  season  up 
to  this  time.  They  began  as  Summer  Theatres  and  then  continued  as  long 
as  the  public  attended.  The  Chatham  Garden  Theatre  closed  March  2,  1825, 
and  reopened  under  the  name  "Chatham  Theatre."  The  stage  machinery  was 
considered  better  than  that  at  the  Park. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    113 

dissenting  voices  were  raised  against  it.  The  first  performance 
of  Der  Freischutz  took  place  at  the  Park  Theatre  March  2,  1825. 
The  Ladies  Literary  Gazette173  is  loud  in  its  praises  of  the  work : 
"On  Wednesday  eve,  Mar.  2,  for  the  first  time  in  America  was 
produced  the  long-talked  of,  much-to-be-admired  and  never-to- 
be-surpassed  operatic  drama  of  Der  Freischutz,  or  The  Wild 
Huntsman  of  Bohemia.  .  .  .  The  music  was  uncommonly 
fine  and  we  have  no  doubt  that  the  piece  is  calculated  to  please, 
but  without  meaning  to  detract  from  the  merit  of  the  manager, 
we  must  venture  an  opinion  that  it  is  too  powerful  for  our  com 
pany  to  perform." 

The  American  Athenaeum  a  little  more  than  a  month  later, 
classes  it  with  the  undesirable  works  that  had  driven  from  the 
stage  the  legitimate  drama  as  we  have  previously  intimated. 
"Sound  and  not  sense  appears  to  have  been  the  prevailing  attrac 
tion  lately  at  our  Theatre,  though,  indeed,  one  of  the  pieces  that 
have  been  most  successful  should  most  properly  be  called  a  sight. 
We  should  be  inclined  to  think  that  the  inhabitants  of  this  city 
had  been  attacked  with  what  we  should  call  a  goblin-mania,  and  a 
fairy-mania,  if  we  were  to  judge  from  the  avidity  with  which 
audiences  have  attended  the  repeated  representation  of  Der 
Freischutz  and  Cherry  and  Fair  Star,17*  while  some  of  our  best 
comedies  have  been  comparatively  neglected ;  this,  we  think,  does 
not  portend  a  very  refined  taste  in  our  amusement-loving  public ; 
but  so  it  has  been ;  the  managers  have  found  these  pieces  to  pro 
duce  profitable  harvest  although  they  appear  to  be  vehicles  for 
conveying  the  fewest  ideas  possible;  painted  groves  and  castles, 
moons  that  shed  no  light  and  ignited  waters;  shadows  of  shades, 
double  drum  and  loud  bassoon,  have  triumphed  but  we  trust  only 
for  a  time,  over  the  legitimate  drama ;  but  we  think  in  all  this  the 
managers  who  live  'by  pleasing'  are  not  to  blame,  they,  in  com 
mon  with  the  rest  of  mankind  are  not  exempt  from  the  influ 
ence  of  self  interest,  and  the  mere  reputation  of  deserving  re 
ward  for  presenting  the  best  specimens  of  the  tragic  or  comic 


1TS  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  II,  p.  263. 

174  Cherry  and  Fair  Star,  an  Oriental  legend  in  pantomimic  form. 


H4    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

muse,  without  receiving  it,  would  be  but  empty  remunera 
tion/'175 

The  fear  of  lowering  the  already  depraved  taste  of  the  pub 
lic  did  not  hinder  this  same  American  Athenaeum  from  publish 
ing  the  entire  story  of  Der  Freischutz  for  the  benefit  of  its  read 
ers  and  perchance  to  add  to  its  list  of  subscribers.  The  story  is 
entitled  Der  Freischutz,  or  The  Magic  Balls,  from  the  German  of 
A.  Apel.176  The  articles  are  too  long  to  be  reproduced  here,  but 
the  list  of  characters  will  be  given:  Bertram  (forester),  Anne, 
his  wife,  Catharina,  his  daughter,  William,  his  clerk,  who  be 
comes  Der  Freischutz,  Robert,  Rudolph,  a  soldier,  A  Huntsman 
with  a  wooden  leg. 

The  partial  New  York  cast  published  in  the  Evening  Post 
(March  2,  1825)  is: 

Wilhelm,  Mr.  Keene. 

Bertha,  Miss  Kelly. 

The  complete  cast  for  the  first  performance  follows  (Ire 
land,  Vol.  i,  p.  438)  : 

Baron  Ottokar,  Mr.  Lee. 

Conrad,  Mr.  Woodhull. 

Caspar,  Mr.  Clarke. 

Wilhelm,  Mr.  Keene. 

Killian,  Mr.  Hilson. 

Christopher,  Mr.  Placide. 

Herman,  Mr.  Kent. 

Hans,  Mr.  Richings. 

Hermit,  Mr.  Foot. 

Matthew,  Mr.  Bancker. 

Wild  Huntsman,  Mr.  Reed. 

Bertha,  Miss  Kelly. 

Linda,  Mrs.  De  Luce. 

Marian,  Mrs.  Bancker. 


176 The  American  Athenaeum,  Vol.  I,  p.  15. 

"'The  American  Athenaeum,  Vol.   I,   pp.   386-388,   397-399,   408-9.     Six 
versions  exist    Cf.  Genest,  IX,  284. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    115 

The  novelty  wears  off  during  the  next  few  years,  but  even 
so  Der  Freischutz  does  not  disappear  from  sight.  It  certainly 
brought  German  music  into  more  prominence  than  it  had  attained 
through  the  concerts  that  were  given  from  time  to  time  and  was 
vastly  more  influential  than  The  Marriage  of  Figaro.1'11 

Three  new  plays  that  give  evidence  of  some  German  origin 
or  influence  were  brought  out  at  the  Park  Theatre  in  this  season. 
They  are:  The  Floating  Beacon,  Alasco  and  Presumption,  or 
Frankenstein. 

The  subtitle  of  The  Floating  Beacon  is  The  Norwegian 
Wreckers;  to  judge  from  the  characters,  the  Germans  play  quite 
as  great  a  role  as  the  Norwegian  element.  The  cast  is  as  fol 
lows :  Angerstorf,  Junk  (a  British  sailor),  Frederick,  Weign- 
stadt,  Mariette  (Woman  of  the  Beacon)  and  Christine  (daughter 
to  Weignstadt). 

Alasco  by  Shee  plays  in  Poland.  Again  the  German  element 
has  an  important  place  in  the  drama.  Baron  Hohendahl,  the 
German  governor  of  a  Polish  province,  quells  the  revolt  of  a 
young  Pole,  Alasco.  The  characters  are :  Alasco,  a  young  Pol 
ish  nobleman,  Colonel  Walsingham,  an  Englishman  in  the  Prus 
sian  service,  Baron  Hohendahl,  Governor  of  a  Polish  province, 
Conrad,  the  foster-brother  and  friend  of  Alasco,  the  Prior  and 
Amantha,  Walsingham's  daughter.  The  play  was  barred  from 
the  English  stage  on  account  of  its  revolutionary  sentiments.178 

We  now  come  to  a  play  which  seemingly  has  more  of  the 
German  influence  in  it — Frankenstein,  or  Presumption.  It  is 
said  to  be  founded  on  a  German  tale  and  relates  how  an  experi 
menter  contrives  to  make  and  animate  a  man-monster.  Mrs. 
Shelly's  work  entitled  "Frankenstein,  or  The  Modern  Prome 
theus"  treats  the  same  subject.179  The  play  was  too  horrible  to 
become  popular,  but  the  moral  was  considered  excellent.  The 
Ladies'  Literary  Gazette180  gives  a  synopsis  of  the  plot. 


"T  Cf.  p.  1 08  of  this  paper. 

178  Genest,  X,  p.  243-44. 

179  Genest,  IX,  p.  260. 

180  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  January,  1825. 


1 1 6    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

"The  story  of  the  drama  is  founded  on  a  German  tale.  .  .  . 
A  student  by  the  name  of  Frankenstein  has  discovered  after  in 
tense  study  the  secret  of  endowing  a  form  of  his  own  construc 
tion  with  human  life.  He  constructs  a  figure,  which  he  animates 
but,  struck  with  dismay  at  his  impious  act  and  terrified  at  the  mon 
strous  being  he  has  formed,  he  flees  from  his  study.  The  demon 
endowed  with  gigantic  strength,  bursts  through  the  door  and 
stands  before  the  appalled  student.  The  demon  approaches  when 
Frankenstein  seizes  a  sword  and  aims  a  blow  at  him  which  he  re 
ceives  on  his  arm,  breaking  the  sword.  He  then  clutches  Franken 
stein  by  the  throat,  throws  him  down  and  ignorant  of  his  danger 
or  situation,  dashes  through  the  window. 

"In  the  course  of  the  drama,  the  demon,  whether  his  actions 
are  good  or  evil,  is  pursued  by  the  enmity  of  the  other  characters 
and  the  revenge  of  Frankenstein,  till,  maddened  by  repeated 
wrongs,  he  murders  his  creator's  younger  brother  and  his  in 
tended  bride.  At  length  meeting  with  Frankenstein  on  the  ridge 
of  a  glacier,  a  rencontre  takes  place,  a  pistol  is  fired,  an  avalanche 
falls  and  buries  both  monster  and  his  creator  beneath  a  mountain 
of  snow — a  just  reward  for  impious  presumption."181  The  great 
merit  of  the  play  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  critics  seems  to  have  been 
its  good  moral — that  the  human  being  should  not  attempt  to  pry 
into  that  which  has  been  closed  to  him  by  his  Creator. 

At  the  Chatham  Garden  Theatre  or  (after  May  9,  1825) 
the  Chatham  Theatre,  no  new  German  play  is  put  on,  but  two  and 
possibly  three  plays  are  under  German  influence.  These  are  Mel- 
mouth,  The  Ruffian  Boy  and  The  Sawmill  (  ?). 

Melmouth  (Melmoth  ?)  was  played  but  once,  February  4, 
1825,  and  the  partial  cast  available  shows  two  names:  Melmouth 
and  Walberg.  It  is  possible  that  in  the  first  announcement  the 
title  of  the  new  play  was  misspelled  and  that  it  really  should  be 
as  indicated  above,  Melmoth.182  This  play  is  founded  on  the 
novel  "Melmoth  the  Wanderer"  by  Maturin,  which  in  a  review 
the  Saturday  Magazine  calls  a  direct  adaptation  from  Goethe's 

m  Another  long  account  of  Frankenstein  is  in  the  Minerva,  or  Literary, 
Entertaining  and  Scientific  Journal,  Vol.  II  (1825),  p.  233. 
m  Thus  it  is  indexed  in  Ireland. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    117 

Faust.  "The  novel  is  not  taken  from  any  sermon  but  from  the 
Faustus  of  Goethe,  upon  which  in  our  8th  number  (Baldivin's 
London  Magazine)  the  reader  will  find  a  copious  and  able  disser 
tation.  Melmoth  is  Dr.  Faustus  under  the  title  of  'Wanderer' 
and  closely  resembles  him,  not  only  in  life  and  fate  but  in  many 
of  his  adventures.  It  is  a  much  closer  imitation  even  than  the 
Manfred  of  Byron — who,  though  he  borrowed  the  idea,  clothed 
it  in  a  magnificence  which  is  all  his  own/'183  No  other  trace  of 
the  drama  on  the  New  York  stage  has  been  found. 

The  Ruffian  Boy  remains  equally  uncertain.  The  cast  is 
available  and  in  one  of  the  announcements184  it  is  said  to  be 
founded  on  the  tale  of  Mrs.  Opie,  which  bears  the  same  title.  The 
scene  of  the  tale  is  Germany  and  it  is  quite  probable  that  there 
are  German  influences  in  plot  and  style. 

The  cast  of  The  Ruffian  Boy  at  its  second  performance, 
June  6,  1825,  was  the  following: 

Giraldi  Duval,  Mr.  Burroughs. 

Waldemar,  Mr.  Jervis. 

Wolfe,  Mr.  Stevenson. 

Bruno,  Mr.  Walstein.185 

Guiseppe,  Mr.  Somerville. 

Solomon,  Mr.  Roberts. 

Tietweg,  Mr.  Herbert. 

Bertram,  Mr.  Fisher. 

Ethelinde,  Mrs.  Hughes. 

Catharine,  Mrs.  Fisher. 

Edith,  Mrs.  Stevenson. 

Mme.  Steinheim,  Mrs.  Allen. 

The  third  of  the  new  dramas  at  the  Chatham  is  by  an  Amer 
ican,  Micah  Hawkins.  The  German  or  Dutch  characters  are  un 
doubtedly  comic  figures  in  the  play  and  perhaps  do  not  represent 


"*  The  Saturday  Magazine,  Vol.  I,  p.  129. 

184  Cf.  New  York  Evening  Post,  July  26,  1826. 

185  Mr.  Walstein  (whose  real  name  was  Westervelt)  was  the  son  of  a  dry- 
goods  merchant  of  New  York  City.    He  left  New  York  ca.  1829  and  died  in 
1836  at  Philadelphia.    Cf.  Ireland,  Vol.  I,  p.  416. 


1 1 8    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

any  real  German  influence.  The  names  are :  Baron  Scharf en- 
duvvel,186  Count  Phlegm,  Bloom,  Herman,  Stoduff,  Jacob, 
Louisa,  Elna  and  Norcher. 

Summary.      (Season  1824-1825.) 
Plays  at  the  Park  Theatre. 

Pizarro,  August  31,  1824  . 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  22,  November  20,  1824,  May 
17,  1825. 

The  Robbers,  January  22,  February  19,  1825. 

Der  Freischutz,0  March  2,  4,  7,  9,  n,  14,  16,  18,  21,  April 
4,  6,  13,  16,  26,  May  7,  14,  20,  June  2,  23,  29,  1825. 

The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  January  5,  7,  February  16,  June  i, 
1825. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  August  30,  1824. 

La  F  aye  tie,  September  9,  1824,  July  2,  1825. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  September  28,  December  10,  1824. 

The  Blind  Boy  ( ?),  November  22,  1824,  March  26,  May  13, 
1825. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  November  25,  26,  December  9,  15, 
1824,  January  i,  March  19,  April  i,  2,  12,  May  24,  June  25, 
1825. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  December  1 7,  1 824. 

Alasco,0  December  16,  18,  1824,  April  15,  21,  1825. 

Swedish  Patriotism,  December  28,  1824,  January  4,  1825. 

Presumption,  or  Frankenstein,0  January  i,  4,  6,  n,  15, 
1825. 

Matrimony,  January  8,  February  i,  March  8,  1825. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  April  9,  1825. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  May  30,  July  2,  1825. 

The  West  Indian,  June  4,  1825. 

Lowina  of  Toboilska,  June  6,  1825. 
Devil's  Bridge,  June  20,  1825. 


LMThe  name  also  appears  as   Schaffderduval.     Cf.   New  York   Evening 
Post,  November  29,  1824. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    119 

The  summary  for  the  Park  shows  five  German  plays  and 
operas;  the  plays  are  not  such  a  great  factor  in  the  summary  as 
formerly,  since  the  popularity  of  the  opera  caused  them  to  be  ne 
glected.  There  are  thirty  performances  in  all,  but  of  these 
twenty- four  are  of  the  two  operas,  Der  Freischutz  (20)  and  The 
Marriage  of  Figaro  (4).  Pizarro  was  seen  but  once,  The  Rob 
bers  twice  and  Of  Age  Tomorrow  thrice. 

Plays  at  the  Chatham  Theatre.     (Season  1824-1825.) 
Pizarro,  October  4,  6,  8,  n,  15,  21,  27,  November  15,  23, 
December  13,  1824,  February  10,  May  9,  26,  June  13,  29,  1825. 
The  Robbers,  October  20,  1824. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  November  20,  1824,  January  8,  1825. 
Lovers'  Vows,  December  6,  14,  1824,  January  6,  1825. 
Rugantino,  June  13,  17,  1825. 
The  Stranger,  June  15,  1825. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  August  30,  November  25,  1824,  May  25, 
1825. 

The  West  Indian,  September  i,  9,  28,  1824. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  September  2,  1824. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  September  n,  November  3,  1824. 

The  Slave,  September  14,  21,  1824,  January  28,  1825. 

Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great,  September  29,  October 
i,  1824. 

Raymond  and  Agnes,  December  2,  8,  u,  20,  31,  1824,  Janu 
ary  i,  1825. 

The  Saw  Mill,0  (  ?),  November  29,  December  i,  4,  31,  1824, 
January  i,  1825. 

The  Blind  Boy  (  ?),  December  22,  23,  1824. 

Tekili,  January  6,  15,  May  31,  1825. 

Adeline,  January  10,  22,  1825. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  January  21,  31,  February  23,  June 
10,  1825. 

The  Point  of  Honor,  February  3,  1825. 

The  Forest  of  Rosenwald,  February  5,  1825. 

The  Jew  of  Lubeck,  February  9,  1825. 

0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 


I2O    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

La  Fayette,  or  The  Castle  of  Olmutz,  July  4,  1825. 

Melmouth,0  February  4,  1825. 

The  Ruffian  Boy,  June  4,  6,  9,  n,  14,  1825. 

The  Chatham  still  retains  its  lead  in  the  number  of  plays  put 
on;  six  German  plays  being  the  total  for  the  season.  The  num 
ber  of  performances  is  twenty-four.  A  marked  revival  of 
Pizarro  with  Wallack  acting  the  leading  role  is  the  feature  of  the 
season.  During  the  month  of  October  it  was  given  no  less  than 
seven  times  and  at  the  opening  of  the  remodelled  Chatham  The 
atre  May  9,  1825,  Pizarro  was  selected  as  a  play  worthy  to  be  per 
formed  on  such  an  auspicious  occasion.  The  American  Athen 
aeum  comments  on  the  play  :187  "The  tragedy  of  Pizarro  is  not 
equal  to  many  of  Sheridan's  productions;  he  remodelled  it  from 
Kotzebue's  play  for  a  political  purpose.  He  intended  Pizarro  to 
represent  the  ambitions  of  Napoleon  and  the  Peruvians  the  Brit 
ish  nation;  the  language  of  Pizarro  is  often  inflated  and  Pizarro's 
character  is  unnatural;  still  there  is  (sic)  many  high  wrought 
passages  and  striking  situations  and  the  play  is  well  calculated 
to  produce  stage  effect." 

Lovers  Vows  received  a  very  favorable  notice  too  in  the 
Ladies'  Literary  Gazetted  "We  can  never  witness  any  of  the 
dramatic  productions  of  Kotzebue  without  being  charmed  by  his 
chaste  and  impressive  style, — and  perhaps  in  no  play  are  there 
more  beauties  combined  than  in  Lovers'  Vows.  The  audience 
testified  their  delight  by  repeated  applause  and  each  performer 
seemed  to  vie  with  the  other  in  giving  proper  effect  to  the  part 
assigned  to  him."189  Thus  we  see  that  Kotzebue  still  remains  a 
favorite  with  American  audiences  and  without  assuming  too 
much,  it  may  be  accepted  as  a  fact  that  his  plays  and  The  Robbers 
were  important  in  the  formation  and  development  of  the  tastes 
of  the  American  theatre-going  public. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  season,  there  are  a  few  perform 
ances  to  note  in  the  summer  seasons  at  the  Lafayette  Circus  and 
the  Chatham  Theatre. 


0  Indicates  that  the  play  appears  for  the  first  time  this  season. 

187  American  Athenaeum,  Vol.  I,  p.  31  (May  12,  1825). 

188  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  December  u,  1824. 
"*  The  performance  of  December  6,  1824,  is  referred  to. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    121 

Lafayette  Circus. 
How  to  Die  for  Love,  August  4,  1825. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  July  28,  1825. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  July  30,  August  3,  5,  8,  20,  24,  27, 
1825. 

Chatham  Theatre. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  July  12,  1825. 
Rugantino,  July  13,  1825. 
Pizarro,  August  16,  1825. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  July  n,  15,  1825. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  August  17,  19,  1825. 

These  statistics  do  not  add  any  new  play,  but  simply  increase 
the  total  number  of  performances  by  four. 

In  combining  the  totals  for  the  two  theatres  during  the  reg 
ular  season  with  those  of  the  summer  season,  we  find  that  there 
were  nine  different  plays  and  operas  given  in  fifty-eight  per 
formances.  Five  of  the  plays  are  by  Kotzebue,  one  by  Schiller, 
one  an  arrangement  of  Zschokke's  Abaellino,  and  the  two  remain 
ing  ones  are  operas. 

Season  of  1825-1826. 

(At  the  Park,  August  29,  1825,  to  July  7,  1826.) 

(Chatham,  May  9,  1825,  to  July  17,  i826.)190 
(Lafayette  Amphitheatre,  July  4,  1825,  to  February,  1826.) 

In  addition  to  the  now  firmly  established  theatres,  a  third 
comes  into  existence,  the  Lafayette  Amphitheatre,  formerly  the 
Lafayette  Circus,  which  had  been  fitted  up  with  stage  machinery, 
and  now  is  regarded  as  a  theatre,  although  it  continued  to  up 
hold  its  older  title  of  Circus. 

This  is  the  first  season  in  the  history  of  the  New  York  stage 
that  opera  plays  an  important  role.  The  Italian  Maestro,  Signer 
Garcia,  with  his  talented  daughter  and  a  company  of  able  singers, 
introduced  Italian  Opera,  which  soon  became  popular,  much  to 

190  The  Chatham  Theatre  opened  May  9,  1825,  closed  July  23-August  15, 
1825,  then  continued  until  February  18,  1826.  It  reopened  March  20,  1826, 
and  finished  its  season  July  17,  1826.  For  the  sake  of  convenience  the  Season 
of  the  Park  is  the  standard  by  which  divisions  are  made,  for  it  is  the  oldest 
and  most  stable  of  the  theatres.  What  is  left  over  after  the  closing  of  the 
Park  is  counted  as  Summer  Season. 


122    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

the  chagrin  of  many  of  the  actors,  especially  Cooper,  who  was 
bitter  in  his  public  attacks  upon  it. 

The  novelty  at  the  Park,  which  attracts  our  attention,  is  the 
play  entitled  William  Tell.  We  have  seen  how  in  1794  a  drama 
based  on  the  Tell  story  was  given,  and  in  1796  Dunlap  put  on 
The  Archers^  The  Tell  which  appeared  this  season  was  by 
Knowles.  He  made  an  arrangement  from  the  drama  of  Schiller 
and  prepared  it  for  the  British  stage.  It  was  soon  taken  up  in 
America,  where  from  some  critics  it  met  with  hearty  approval, 
while  others  condemned  it  as  strongly  as  the  former  had  praised 
it.  The  final  opinion,  however,  tends  toward  condemnation 
rather  than  praise. 

The  first  performance  of  the  play  took  place  September  26, 
1825,  at  the  Park  Theatre.  The  theatre  notice  announces  that  it  is 
the  first  performance  of  the  play  in  America.  The  characters  and 
the  actors  who  played  them  are  as  follows  :192 

Gesler,  Mr.  Woodhull. 

Struth,  Mr.  Barnes. 

William  Tell,  Mr.  Cooper. 

Waldman,  Mr.  Jervis. 

Michael,  Mr.  Hilson. 

Albert,  Mrs.  Barnes. 

Agnes,  Mrs.  Hilson. 

Emma,  Mrs.  Battersby. 

The  acting  of  Cooper  received  the  highest  praise  and  the  first 
criticisms  are  of  very  favorable  nature.  The  New  York  Mirror 
and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette  has  the  following  notice:193  "Wil 
liam  Tell,  or  The  Hero  of  Switzerland,  by  J.  Knowles,  Esq.,  was 
presented  to  a  full  house  on  Monday  evening  last  (Sep.  26).  .  .  . 
The  poet  has  shaped  his  incidents  within  the  measure  of  his  dra 
matic  rule  and  fitted  them  with  ingenuity  and  skill  for  the  stage. 
His  fictitious  characters  are  well  drawn  and  made  subservient  to 
the  main  plot;  and  that  of  the  hero  bears  the  marks  of  unwearied 


191  Cf.  PP-  6,  7,  9  of  this  paper. 

193  From  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  September  26,  1825. 

193  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  74. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    123 

industry  and  fine  imagination.  He  has  struck  out  a  being  which 
great  and  good  minds  love  to  admire.  A  bold,  chivalric,  lion- 
hearted  hero — full  of  sublime  inspiration  after  freedom — with  a 
heart  panting  at  his  country's  wrongs  and  a  hand  trembling  with 
eager  ambition  to  strike  her  enemy  dead  at  his  foot.  Fearing  noth 
ing  but  the  failure  of  his  enterprise,  hoping  nothing  but  the  free 
dom  of  his  native  land,  interest,  social  feeling  and  parental  affec 
tion  are  all  swept  away  by  the  torrent  of  patriotism  which  urged 
him  on  to  his  glory. 

"Mr.  Cooper  throughout  his  part  elicited  the  most  over 
whelming  approbation.  .  .  .  We  cannot  conclude  without  ex 
pressing  a  hope  that  this  excellent  play  will  be  frequently  pre 
sented  on  the  New  York  stage." 

The  American  Athenaeum,  which  very  seldom  has  had  any 
good  words  for  anything  that  smacks  of  German,  raises  no  objec 
tions  against  the  new  play  : 

"On  Monday  evening  was  brought  out  for  the  first  time  in 
America,  the  play  of  William  Tell — written  by  Knowles,  the 
author  of  Virginius,  etc.  It  attracted  a  very  full  audience,  and 
was  received  with  great  applause.  The  story  of  the  heroic  Swiss 
mountaineer  is  too  well  known  to  require  any  recapitulation.  The 
author  has  contrived  his  scenes  and  situations  with  considerable 
dramatic  effect  and  the  character  of  William  Tell  is  simply  and 
naturally  drawn.  Mr.  Cooper  gave  us  a  finer  specimen  of  his 
acting  in  this  part  than  in  any  other  in  which  we  recollect  to  have 
seen  him  for  a  long  time.  The  scene  in  which  he  is  first  brought 
prisoner  in  heavy  chains,  before  the  tyrant  and  his  boy  exposed 
to  recognition,  was  performed  in  masterly  style.194  The  dignity 
of  the  freeman,  the  integrity  of  the  man  contended  with  the 
yearnings  of  the  father's  heart  for  his  only  son,  the  pride  of  his 
age,  and  the  hope  of  his  country.  When  the  arrow  which  he 


194  Knowles  has  torn  the  Schiller  drama  apart  and  rewoven  the  threads  to 
suit  his  own  taste.  Thus,  in  the  scene  referred  to,  Albert  (Tell's  son)  has 
been  imprisoned  by  Gessler  because  he  refused  to  tell  the  tyrant  the  name 
of  his  father.  Tell  in  the  meantime  has  refused  to  salute  to  the  cap  in  the 
market-place  and  has  been  brought  before  Gessler.  The  son  and  father  deny 
their  relationship  until  Gessler  announces  that  both  must  die.  He  changes 
his  decision  to  the  shooting-test. 


124    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

had  intended  for  Gesler  in  case  of  his  missing  the  apple  and  kill 
ing  the  child,  was  discovered,  and  he  was  questioned  as  to  his 
purpose,  the  reply  'it  was  intended  for  thee'  was  uttered  with 
most  admirable  power."195 

Two  weeks  later  the  American  Athenaeum  had  more  de 
cided  views  on  the  value  of  the  play  and  the  ability  of  Knowles 
as  a  dramatist : 

"Mr.  Knowles  evidently  writes  not  for  immortality  nor  for 
the  next  age,  even,  but  merely  for  the  reigning  actor  of  the  day. 
He  models  his  characters  to  the  level  of  the  actors.  He  does  not 
seek  to  elevate  the  actor  to  that  of  the  tragic  muse.  His  plays 
are  well  calculated  for  acting  in  the  present  day  but  beyond  this 
little  can  be  said  of  them/'196 

The  play  did  not  have  a  run  like  the  opera  Der  Freischute, 
but  every  season  it  makes  its  appearance  with  the  role  of  Tell 
generally  in  the  hands  of  some  great  actor,  at  first  Cooper,  later 
Macready,  who  is  said  to  have  even  surpassed  his  great  rival. 

Another  Mozart  opera  is  brought  out  during  the  season: 
Don  Giovanni  (music  by  Mozart,  adapted  by  Bishop),  for  the 
first  time  in  America,  May  23,  i826.197 

The  opera  became  popular,  but  seemingly  no  newspaper  or 
magazine  criticisms  were  published.  The  enumeration  of  the 
number  of  performances  of  this  opera  is  made  exceedingly  dim- 
cult  and  uncertain  because  of  the  parody  by  the  same  main  title 
but  with  the  subtitle:  The  Spectre  on  Horseback.  Where 
the  subtitle  is  omitted  from  the  announcement,  there  is  nothing 
to  determine  which  one  of  the  operas  is  to  be  performed.  While 
speaking  of  things  musical  we  note  a  concert198  by  Sig.  Garcia, 
at  which  the  German  masters,  Beethoven  and  Mozart  were  rep 
resented;  Beethoven  by  the  overture  Prometheus  and  Mozart  in 
sextetto  Sola,  sola,  from  Don  Giovanni. 

The  uncertain  plays  which  are  new  this  year  are  very  few  in 
number ;  we  mention  but  two :  The  Invasion  of  Russia,  a  grand 

195  "The  American  Athenaeum,"  I,  223  (September  29,  1825). 

196  "The  American  Athenaeum,"  I,  247  (October  13,  1825). 


197  New  York  Evening  Post,  May  23,  1826. 

198  At  the  City  Hotel,  January  26,  1826. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    125 

military  equestrian  spectacle,  and  Don  Juan.  Nothing  was  found 
concerning  either  and  it  is  probable  that  there  is  no  German  in 
fluence  shown  in  either  of  them. 

Summary  for  the  Park  Theatre.     (Season  1825-1826.) 

The  Stranger,  August  31,  November  4,  1825,  June  i,  1826. 

Der  Frieschutz,  September  6,  1825,  April  i,  June  5,  16,  1826. 

Pizarro,  September  19,  October  22,  December  5,  1825. 

William  Tell,0  September  26,  29,  October  8,  15,  November 
8,  12,  1825,  April  26,  1826. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  10,  1825. 

The  Robbers,  December  30,  1825.' 

Don  Giovanni,0  May  23,  27,  30,  June  10,  20,  July  2i,199 
28,  August  9,  1826. 

Education,  May  24,  1826. 

The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  June  30,  1826. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  September  i,  24,  1825. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  October  14,  1825,  February  27,  June  9, 
1826. 

Matrimony,  November  12,  December  8,  1825. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  February  9,  1826. 

The  Invasion  of  Russia,0  February  22,  March  13,  17,  April 
14,  1826. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  February  18,  1826. 

Don  Juan0  (?),  March  i,  1826. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  March  16,  29,  June  15,  1826. 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  July  5,  1826. 

The  summary  for  the  Park  shows  nine  German  plays  and 
operas,  six  of  the  former,  three  of  the  latter,  in  twenty-nine  per 
formances — thirteen  of  these  are  performances  of  opera.  Tell 
as  the  novelty  of  the  season  among  the  plays  has  the  largest  num 
ber  of  performances,  seven.  The  Kotzebue  plays  diminish  de 
cidedly  in  number — there  are  but  three  represented,  The  Stran 
ger,  Pizarro  and  Of  Age  Tomorrow.  The  first  two  of  these  plays 


During  the  summer  the  Italian  Company  gave  opera  (in  Italian'). 


126    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

continue  to  live  on  into  the  sixties,  but  the  name  of  the  author  is 
not  often  mentioned.  Yet  his  career  on  the  New  York  stage  does 
not  end  so  quickly,  we  shall  hear  more  of  him  in  the  seasons 
immediately  following. 

The  Chatham  Theatre.  (Season  1825-1826.) 
The  season  at  the  Chatham  is  not  so  rich  in  material  as  the 
year  at  the  Park,  yet  a  goodly  number  of  German  plays  are  put 
on,  although  the  season  is  lacking  in  novelties.  There  were  six 
German  pieces  put  on  (including  Don  Giovanni,  or  The  Liber 
tine  Destroyed}2®®  and  the  total  number  of  performances  is 
nineteen.  Kotzebue  is  represented  in  four  plays:  Pizarro,  The 
Stranger,  How  to  Die  -for  Love  and  Of  Age  Tomorrow. 

The  play  by  Reynolds  entitled  'Tivould  Puzzle  a  Conjuror, 
later  given  under  the  title  The  Two  Peters,  a  drama  based  on  a 
story  of  Peter  the  Great  and  one  of  his  ambassadors,  may  be  in 
fluenced  by  some  German  version  of  the  story.201  Beyond  this 
there  are  no  new  uncertain  plays  to  list. 

Summary  for  the  Chatham  Theatre.     (Season  1825-1826.) 

Pizarro,  August  30,  October  28,  December  12,  1825,  Feb 
ruary  13,  March  20,  May  13,  June  12,  i826.202 

The  Stranger,  October  21,  1825,  June  14,  1826. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  November  12,  1825. 

Rugantino,  January  10,  March  27,  April  22,  1826. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  January  17,  1826. 

Don  Giovanni  ( ?),°  April  14,  May  31,  June  2,  3,  8,  1826. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  August  29,  September  6,  14,  Octo 
ber  15,  November  5,  21,  December  3,  1825,  January  9,  February 
14,  1 8,  March  22,  May  9,  1826. 

200 1  am  inclined  to  believe  that  it  is  not  German  but  is  billed  as  a  counter- 
attraction  of  Mozart's  opera  at  the  Park. 

201  The  cast  (from  Ireland,  I,  p.  459)  is:  Czar  Peter,  Varensloff,  Von 
Clump,  De  Mowille,  Hans  Lubberlick,  Peter  Stanwitz,  Von  Block,  Bertha. 
Ireland  gives  the  date  of  the  performance  as  October  17,  1824,  evidently  a 
mistake.  It  should  be  1825. 

803  The  cast  for  Pizarro,  June  12,  was :  Pizarro,  Mr.  Scott ;  Alonzo,  Mr. 
Wallack;  Kolla,  Mr.  Conway;  Elvira,  Mrs.  Duff. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    127 

The  Wandering  Boys,  September  3,  October  12,  November 
26,  1825,  January  27,  April  18,  1826. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  September  8,  December  29,  1825,  April  i, 
1826. 

Tekili,  September  9,  1825,  March  29,  1826. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  September  15,  November  29,  1825,  Feb 
ruary  3,  April  28,  1826. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  October  13,  1825,  June  29,  1826. 

Lafayette,  October  22,  1825. 

The  Slave,  October  26,  November  i,  1825,  February  i, 
1826. 

The  Blind  Boy  ( ?),  November  16,  1825,  March  28,  May  2, 
1826. 

Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great,  December  i,  13,  1825, 
January  30,  1826. 

Matrimony,  December  16,  1825. 

'Twould  Puzzle  a  Conjurer,0  October  13,  17,  1825. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  January  14,  19,  28,  February  4,  10, 
1 6,  April  4,  15,  May  18,  July  10,  1826. 

Don  Giovanni,  or  The  Spectre  on  Horseback,  January  26, 
1826. 

The  Forest  of  Rosenwald,  February  7,  1826. 

Raymond  and  Agnes,  April  8,  15,  1826. 

Pizarro  has  a  larger  number  of  performances  than  any  of 
the  other  plays ;  this  is  perhaps  accounted  for  by  Wallack's  fond 
ness  for  the  play.  He  was  now  manager  of  the  Chatham  Theatre 
at  the  same  time  acting  in  his  favorite  roles.  The  other  plays 
show  the  general  interest  still  in  the  German  drama. 

The  Lafayette  Amphitheatre.  (Season  1825-1826.) 
The  season  at  this  theatre  has  nothing  new.  The  older  plays 
are  given  at  long  intervals;  in  the  main,  however,  the  chief  at 
traction  of  the  former  circus  is  the  equestrian  spectacle  alternat 
ing  with  the  pantomime.  Of  German  plays  we  find  but  one  dur 
ing  the  regular  season:  Of  Age  Tomorrow.  It  was  given  De 
cember  10,  1825.  There  is  a  longer  list  of  uncertain  plays: 

The  Floating  Beacon,  September  5,  7,  December  6,  1825, 
February  22,  1826. 


128    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Blind  Boy,  September  26,  30,  1825. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  October  10,  1825. 

The  Woodman  s  Hut,  December  i,  5,  13,  1825. 

The  Wandering  Jeiv,°  January  4,  6,  7,  9,  10,  13,  17,  1826. 

The  Bleeding  Nun,  January  16,  18,  21,  1826. 

Tekili,  March  8,  13,  27,  1826. 

Summer  Season  of  1826. 

Chatham  Theatre. 
Don  Giovanni,  or  The  Libertine  Destroyed,  July  n,  1826. 

Lafayette  Amphitheatre. 
Of  Age  Tomorrow,  July  25,  1826. 
Hoiv  to  Die  for  Love,  August  3,  21,  1826. 
The  Floating  Beacon,  July  8,  27,  1826. 
Matrimony,  July  10,  1826. 
Raymond  and  Agnes,  July  n,  1826. 
The  Ruffian  Boy,  July  19,  21,  26,  29,  1826. 
Adrian  and  Orilla,  August  10,  22,  1826. 
The  complete  summary  for  the  season  shows : 

Park  Theatre,  9  plays  in  29  performances. 

Chatham,  6  plays  in  19  performances. 

Lafayette,  i  play    in     i  performance. 

Summer  Season,  3  plays  in     4  performances. 

There  were  in  all  eleven  different  German  plays  produced  in 
fifty-three  performances. 

Season  of  1826-1827. 

1.  Park  Theatre,  August  28,  1826,  to  July  4,  1827. 

2.  Chatham  Theatre,  October  9,  1826,  to  May,  1827. 

3.  Lafayette,  July  4,  1826,  to  April,  1827. 

4.  The  Bowery,  October  23,  1826,  to  August  24,  i827.208 

5.  Mt.  Pitt  Circus,  November  8,  i826-i827.204 

6.  The  Broadway  Circus,  May  31,  1827 — Summer. 


Almost  continuous  performances  but  divided  here  for  convenience. 
The  irregular  advertising  makes  the  exact  time  uncertain.    Unimportant. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    129 

The  treatment  of  this  season  is  rather  difficult,  owing  to  the 
many  theatres  and  circuses  which  from  time  to  time  present  a 
German  play.  The  Bowery,  first  known  as  "The  New  York 
Theatre",  opened  October  23,  1826,  and  from  the  beginning  had 
a  strong  company,  which  accounts  for  the  great  number  of  plays 
recorded  at  that  place.  Numbers  5  and  6  are  relatively  unimpor 
tant;  No.  6  is  short-lived  for  it  brings  nothing  in  this  season 
after  July  4,  1827. 

The  Park  Theatre  (Season  1826-1827). 

The  German  element  in  the  plays  offered  is  not  above  the 
general  average ;  eight  plays  are  listed,  but  the  fact  worthy  of  note 
is  that  the  Kotzebue  plays  are  but  two  in  number:  Pizarro  and 
The  Stranger.  There  is  one  new  play,  Oberon,  or  The  Charmed 
Horn.  The  play  is  founded  on  the  well-known  poem  of  Wieland 
and  had  been  presented  at  the  Drury  Lane  Theatre  March  27, 
i826.205  Genest205  says:  "The  piece  (Oberon)  brought  out 
this  evening  was  written  by  an  unknown  author — it  is  much 
worse  than  Thompson's  pieces  (Oberon's  Oath,  D.  L.  May  21, 
1816)  but  it  was  acted  with  much  better  success.  Each  of  the 
pieces  is  founded  on  Wieland's  poem,  and  the  main  plot  of  each 
is  nearly  the  same."  According  to  a  prompter's  copy  in  the  New 
York  Public  Library,  the  author  is  James  Robert  Planche.206 

The  New  York  Evening  Post  for  September  20,  1826,  an 
nounces  "Oberon,  or  The  Charmed  Horn  (a  Grand  romantic 
fairy  tale)  as  performed  at  Drury  Lane."  It  was  favorably  re 
ceived  and  was  performed  ten  times  during  the  season.  The  fol 
lowing  gives  a  sketch  of  the  plot:  "The  new  romantic  melo 
drama  of  Oberon,  or  The  Charmed  Horn  (not  Weber's  opera  of 
Oberon)  was  brought  forward  and  repeated  on  Friday  evening 
with  considerable  success.  Oberon,  the  monarch  of  Fairyland, 
has  a  dispute  with  his  queen,  Titania,  on  the  subject  of  male  and 

808  Genest,  IX,  pp.  332-3. 

006  Cf.  Title-page :  Oberon  /  or  The  J  Charmed  Horn.  J  A  romantic  fairy 
Tale  /  in  two  Acts.  /  The  subject  from  the  celebrated  poem  of  Wieland.  / 
(Written  in  pencil)  By  James  Rob.  Planche.  /  Performed  at  the  Drury  Lane 
Theatre.  /  The  music  selected  from  eminent  composers  /  arranged  and 
adapted  by  Mr.  T.  Cooke.  /  London.  /  Printed  by  J.  Tabby.  /  Theatre  Royal, 
Drury  Lane  /  1826. 


130    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

female  constancy,  etc.  Sir  Huon  of  Guienne  has  slain  the  son  of 
the  French  Emperor  Charlemagne  and  in  the  plentitude  of  his 
wrath  that  potent  sovereign  swears  that  unless  Sir  Huon  repairs 
to  Bagdad,  kills  the  Caliph's  favourite,  weds  his  daughter,  brings 
away  a  lock  of  his  beard,  and  returns  to  the  court  by  a  certain 
day: — 'the  lands  of  fair  Guienne  shall  be  forfeited'.  Upon  this 
moderate  and  very  hopeful  adventure  the  undaunted  Sir  Huon 
instantly  sets  out. 

"Oberon  fixes  upon  Sir  Huon,  and  Titania  on  Amanda,  the 
Caliph's  daughter  as  the  representatives  of  the  sexes  on  this  occa 
sion.  .  .  . 

"The  last  scene  is  at  the  court  of  Charlemagne.  Sir  Huon 
arrives  just  in  time  to  save  the  forfeit,  defeats  the  champion, 
produces  the  bride  and  beard,  wins  the  King's  favour  and  his 
lands,  while  Oberon  and  Titania  descend  and  bless  the  happy 
pair."  The  article  closes  with  a  critique  of  the  actors,  paying  all 
very  high  compliments,  particularly  mentioning  the  machinist, 
and  with  the  surmise  that  it  is  anticipated  that  "Oberon  will  have 
a  run  and  amply  remunerate  the  manager."207 

We  note  among  the  uncertain  plays  Don  Giovanni  in  Lon 
don,  another  parody  on  Mozart's  opera,  and  a  new  melodrama, 
The  Flying  Dutchman.  The  latter  piece  is  founded  on  the  famil 
iar  legend  and  immediately  became  one  of  the  season's  best  at 
tractions.  The  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette 
comments  upon  it  in  the  following  manner  :208  "The  new  melo 
drama  of  The  Flying  Dutchman  founded  on  the  well-known  leg 
end  of  that  name,  was  brought  out  Monday  evening. 208a  It  is  a 
combination  of  all  sorts  of  earthly  and  unearthly,  unnatural  and 
supernatural  materials,  diversified  with  a  few  light  and  pleasing 
incidents,  as  storms,  wrecks,  waves,  spirits,  gunpowder  explo 
sions  and  concludes  in  the  usual  moral  melodramatic  manner.  We 
are  rather  sorry  to  see  the  piece  go  up  at  the  Park;  it  is  much 
fitter  for  one  of  the  minor  theatres." 


907  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  4,  p.  79   (Sep 
tember  25,  1826). 

108  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  4,  p.  3°3- 
*°*a  Monday,  April  9,  1827. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    131 

Of  minor  importance  is  the  announcement  that  The  Bavar 
ian  Broom  Song  will  be  sung  by  one  of  the  favorite  actresses. 
The  title  is  also  given  as  the  Bavarian  Song  Buy  a  Broom.209 
Peter  Smink,  or  Which  is  the  Miller  is  uncertain.210 

Summary  (Park  Theatre,  Season  1826-1827). 
Der  Freischutz,  August  31,   September  21,   November  4, 
1826,  February  10,  March  13,  May  31,  1827. 
Don  Giovanni,  September  5,  16,  1826. 
Pizarro,  September  6,211  November  14,  1826,  January  10, 

23,  1827. 

Oberon,0  September  20,  22,  25,  27,  29,  October  10,  17,  19, 

24,  November  i,  1826. 

William  Tell,  October  I3,212  October  20,  December  28, 
1826,  April  18,  May  30,  1827. 

The  Stranger,  December  16,  1826,  March  14,  May  29,  1827. 

The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  December  19,  30,  1826,  January  9, 
20,  March  7,  April  21,  26,  May  8,  June  2,  1827. 

The  Robbers,  January  17,  1827. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Innkeeper  s  Daughter,  August  30,  1826. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  October  12,  December  14,  1826. 

Peter  Smink,  or  Which  is  the  Miller,0  October  14,  19,  No 
vember  4,  1826. 

The  Woodman's  Hut,  October  20,  1826. 

The  Exile  of  Siberia,  January  i,  4,  30,  February  6,  15,  June 
26,  1827. 

Matrimony,  January  3,  May  21,  June  4,  1827. 

The  Slave,  January  22,  1827. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  January  22,  29,  March  23,  May  14, 
1827. 


209  Cf.  New  York  Evening  Post,  May  17,  21,  1827. 

210  The  cast  shows  German  characters :  Peter  Smink,  Hants,  Chev.  Bayard, 
Commandant,  Eugene,  Ninette. 

211  Cooper  plays  Rolla. 

212  Partial    cast :    W.    Tell,    Mr.    Macready ;    Gesler,    Woodhull ;    Braun, 
Placide;  Agnes,  Mrs.  Sharpe. 


132    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  January  31,  1827. 

Giovanni  in  London0  (?),  March  i,  3,  15,  17,  20,  24,  April 
6,  n,  28,  June  7,  1827. 

The  Demi's  Bridge,  March  24,  1827. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  April  4,  1827. 

The  Flying  Dutchman,0  April  9,  10,  n,  12,  13,  14,  16,  17, 
18,  20,  25,  28,  May  i,  7,  15,  29,  1827. 

Adeline,  or  TA^  Victim  of  Seduction,  June  23,  1827. 

Lowina  of  Toboliska,  July  4,  1827. 

Bavarian  Broom  Song0  May  17,  21,  June  7,  29,  1827 

The  German  drama  for  the  season  owes  much  to  the  two 
great  actors,  Cooper  and  Macready.  As  has  been  noted  Cooper 
played  the  grateful  role  of  Rolla  in  Pizarro  while  Macready  won 
the  hearts  of  the  public  in  his  presentation  of  the  character  of 
Tell.  The  Evening  Post  (October  23,  1826)  published  a  crit 
icism  of  Macready's  acting  in  the  performance  of  Tell  October  20. 

"In  Wm.  Tell  a  greater  effort  of  genius  is  required  to  ren 
der  that  character  interesting  than  in  any  other  of  this  author's 
productions.  It  is  decidedly  but  an  outline  which  may  be  said  to 
depend  wholly  for  its  effect  upon  the  painting  of  the  actor.  To 
Mr.  Macready's  talents  alone,  is  the  piece  indebted  for  any  popu 
larity  it  may  have  gained. 

"The  ardour  of  enthusiasm  displayed  in  his  address  to  the 
native  mountaineers,  as  he  looks  upon  them  after  returning  from 
Altdorf,  the  residence  of  the  tyrant  Gesler,  within  whose  domin 
ion  the  sacred  name  of  Liberty  was  not  breathed,  was  a  fine  speci 
men  of  patriotic  feeling.  The  instructions  to  his  little  Boy  (a 
part  uncommonly  well  sustained  by  Master  Wheatley)  were  so 
beautifully  and  naturally  done  that  the  audience  were  hushed 
to  the  deepest  silence,  during  this  very  interesting  scene  and  they 
testified  their  approbation  by  the  warmest  plaudits  at  its  close. 

"The  indignation  and  horror  mingled  with  manly  grief  ex 
pressed  at  the  sight  of  old  Melctal  whose  eyes  had  been  torn  out 
by  the  cruel  Gesler,  succeeded  by  his  determination  of  revenge — 
were  most  effectively  delineated  as  was  also  the  bold  deed  of 
trampling  on  the  insolence  of  the  tyrant  (whose  cap  set  upon  a 
pole,  his  officers  were  compelling  the  countrymen  to  bow  to)  by 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    133 

dashing  to  the  earth  this  disgraceful  evidence  of  their  thralldom 
and  driving  the  officers  before  them;  the  native  dignity  and  the 
scornful  smile  with  which  he  regards  the  officers  who  bring  him 
in  chains  before  the  tyrant,  when  erect  and  motionless  he  remains 
after  being  ordered  to  bend  his  knee  to  him  and  'beg  for  mercy', 
showed  how  little  the  fear  of  death  could  operate  on  a  mind  so 
lofty  and  free,  and  a  heart  conscious  of  the  purity  of  its  motives 
and  actions. 

"The  struggle  to  command  his  features  as  the  boy  is  brought 
into  his  presence  and  his  fears,  that  his  only  son  was  also  within 
the  tyrant's  grasp,  realized,  the  inward  satisfaction  at  his  boy's 
judgment  in  refusing  to  own  him  as  his  father,  when  he  exclaims 
'My  boy,  my  own  brave  boy !  He  is  safe !'.  Then  his  misery  at 
being  discovered  to  be  his  father,  and  the  shuddering  at  the 
inhuman  proposition,  that  he  should  shoot  an  apple  from  the 
boy's  head,  his  gradual  reflection  that,  however  painful,  it  was 
the  only  chance  of  saving  both  their  lives — and  lastly  the  alternate 
emotions  of  his  soul  at  the  dreadful  trial  of  his  skill — his  expres 
sion  'I  will  not  shoot  against  the  sun'.  His  almost  bursting  heart 
as  he  caresses  the  boy  ere  he  is  placed  on  his  knees  with  the  apple 
on  his  head — and  recoiling  with  horror  as  he  first  aims  the  arrow, 
the  summoning  of  all  his  fortitude  and  coolness  as  he  is  chid  for 
his  delay  and  told  'to  go  on'.  He  lets  the  arrow  fly  and  falls 
exhausted  and  unable  to  speak  for  a  time  to  his  beloved  child, 
who  rushes  into  his  father's  arms, — were  all  so  powerfully  exhib 
ited  as  to  baffle  description."213 

The  summary  for  the  Park  shows  eight  German  plays  in 
forty  performances.  The  three  operas  account  for  seventeen  per 
formances  and  the  new  piece  Oberon  for  ten. 

The  Season  at  the  Chatham  Theatre. 

The  season  brings  no  new  German  plays  and  about  the  usual 
number  of  old  ones;  Wallack  still  played  at  this  theatre  which 
explains  why  Pizarro  appears  six  times  during  the  season.  We 


213  Another  similar  criticism  is  found  in  the  New  York  Mirror. 
The  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  IV,  p.  103,  gives  a 
shorter  review  of  the  performance  of  Tell  on  October  20,  1826:  "IV.  Tell  was 


134    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

note  also  the  revival  of  Deaf  and  Dumb  (Kotzebue's  Abbe  de 
I'Epee). 

Two  uncertain  plays  appear:  Valdemar  and  Feudal  Times. 
Only  partial  casts  are  available ;  of  Valdemar,  the  names  Valde- 
mar  and  Adelaide ;  of  Feudal  Times,  the  name  Ruthenwolf .  The 
full  title  of  the  latter  is  Feudal  Times,  or  The  Banquet  Gallery; 
it  is  said  to  be  by  Colman. 

Summary  (Chatham  Theatre }  Season  1826-1827). 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  16,  1826,  March  14,  22,  April 
14,  June  9,  1827. 

Pizarro,  October  24,  November  10,  December  29,  30,  1826, 
January  3,  February  28,  1827. 

William  Tell,  November  15,  20,  1826,  May  19,  1827. 

Rugantino,  November  22,  1826. 

Don  Giovanni  (?),  December  n,  14,  1826. 

Deaf  and  Dumb,  December  27,  1826. 

The  Stranger,  March  6,  May  14,  June  12,  1827. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  October  17,  1826. 
The  Miller  and  His  Men,  October  21,  1826. 
Raymond  and  Agnes,  October  28,  1826. 


performed  to  the  most  crowded  house  judging  from  our  eye  and  feeling  of 
any  (save  the  first  night)  of  Mr.  Macready's  appearance. 

"This  is,  we  think,  the  poorest  of  Knowles'  tragedies  and  can  scarcely  be 
termed  more  than  a  sort  of  a  refined  melodrama.  It  has  no  pretensions  to 
original  character,  it  exposes  and  unfolds  no  hidden  recesses  of  the  human 
heart,  it  is  apparent  on  the  surface ;  it  is  the  tragedy  of  situation.  The  story 
is,  however,  interesting  and  skilfully  dramatized,  and  affords  some  good 
opportunities  for  display  in  the  actor  who  represents  the  hero.  It  is  almost 
needless  to  say  that  everything  was  made  the  most  of  by  Mr.  Macready,  who 
is  the  original  Tell.  In  his  hands  it  rises  to  something  much  above  what  its 
own  merit  entitles  it  to. 

"There  is  such  an  intensity  in  his  manner — such  enthusiastic  aspiration 
after  liberty — and  such  detestation  of  oppression  is  breathed  forth  in  all  he 
utters,  as  carries  all  along  with  it.  With  fervor  he  gives  the  opening  speech 
in  the  second  Scene:  'Ye  crags  and  peaks,  I  am  with  you  once  again!'  His 
mute  despair  and  mental  anguish  in  the  scenes  with  his  child  and  Gessler, 
were  wonderfully  affecting.  ...  In  many  scenes  the  most  profound  silence 
reigned,  and  all  attempts  at  applause  were  immediately  put  down  by  the 
murmur  of  'Hush'  that  spread  through  the  house.  This  is  true  applause — 
the  applause  of  the  heart." 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    135 

The  Blind  Boy  (  ?),  October  31,  1826. 

Matrimony,  November  2,  1826. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  November  30,  December  27,  1826. 

Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great,  December  9,  1826. 

The  West  Indian,  December  18,  1826. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  January  17,  June  26,  July  3,  1827. 

Adelgitha,  February  16,  1827. 

Tekili,  February  23,  April  20,  1827. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  February  24,  March  29,  1827. 

The  Bleeding  Nun,  February  26,  March  19,  1827. 

The  Brazen  Mask,  February  27,  1827. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  April  9,  12,  17,  20,  July  5,  1827. 

Valdemar,0  May  7,  n,  15,  1827. 

Feudal  Times,  May  7,  8,  9,  10,  1827. 

The  summary  shows  seven  German  plays  for  the  Chatham 
twenty-one  performances;  the  highest  number  of  performances 
for  any  one  play  is  scored  by  Pizarro  (6). 

The  Lafayette  Amphitheatre  (Season  1826-1827). 

At  the  Lafayette  there  are  but  three  German  plays  to  record : 
Of  Age  Tomorrow,  October  4,  1826. 
Pizarro,  November  15,  1826. 

La  Perouse  (largely  pantomimic),  March  9,  10,  13,  16,  31, 
April  6,  1827. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  September  15,  October  6,  1826. 
The  Devil's  Bridge,  September  18,  22,  1826. 
The  Blind  Boy  (Hewetson),  September  19,  October  6,  1826. 
The  Ruffian  Boy,  October  10,  1826. 
Raymond  and  Agnes,  October  21,  1826. 
The  Wandering  Boys}  October  24,  28,  1826. 
Valentine  and  Orson,  January  29,  30,  31,  February  2,  March 
30,  1827. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  February  7,  1827. 

Tekili,  March  15,  22,  1827. 

Three  German  plays  in  seven  performances. 


136    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Bowery  (Season  1826-1827). 

The  Bowery,  as  the  "New  York  Theatre"  is  more  commonly 
called,  has  its  star  actor  who  helps  to  swell  the  list  of  German 
productions.  He  is  none  other  than  the  famous  Forrest.  As 
Macready  at  the  Park,  so  Forrest  at  the  Bowery  makes  Tell  a 
popular  play;  and  he  also  brings  Pisarro  before  the  patrons  of 
the  theatre.  Aside  from  these  two  plays  there  are  not  a  great 
many  performances  of  other  plays ;  The  Stranger }  Don  Giovanni, 
Of  Age  Tomorrow,  Abaellino  and  How  to  Die  for  Love  finish 
the  list.  It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  in  the  announcement  for 
February  27,  1827,  a  German  title  is  given  instead  of  the  usual 
translation.  The  program  for  that  night  was  Mozart's  Don  Gio 
vanni  and  the  Duett  from  the  Zauberflote:  Der  Liebe  holdes  Gluck 
empfinden.214  Whether  the  Duett  was  sung  in  German  cannot 
be  ascertained. 

One  new  play  that  deals  with  a  German  theme  appears  in 
the  drama  Returned  Killed.  The  first  performance  took  place 
March  2,  1827.  A  partial  cast215  shows  the  characters:  Baron 
von  Lindorf,  Raubvogel,  Milligan,  Madame  Lisburg. 

Baron  v.  Lindorf  has  been  reported  "killed"  after  a  battle 
with  the  Hungarians.  Although  he  lives  and  has  recovered  from 
his  wounds,  he  does  not  reveal  himself  because  he  disobeyed  the 
King's  orders  in  commanding  his  troops  to  rush  forward  and 
turn  back  the  enemy.  He  is  finally  pardoned  by  his  sovereign, 
Frederick  the  Great.  The  play  is  said  to  be  adapted  from  the 
French  216  but  reminds  one  very  strongly  of  Kleist's  Prinz  von 
Hamburg. 

The  Flying  Dutchman  made  its  appearance  at  this  theatre 
May  25,  a  little  more  than  a  month  later  than  its  introduction  to 
New  York  at  the  Park.  Here,  too,  it  immediately  achieved  that 
success  which  made  it  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  season's 
plays. 


214  New  York  Evening  Post,  February  27,  1827. 
115  From  New  York  Evening  Post,  March  10,  1827. 
B'Cy.  Genest,  IX,  pp.  382-3. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    137 

Summary  (Bowery  Theatre,  1826-1827}. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  November  4,  1826,  June  19,  1827. 

The  Stranger,  November  22,  1826. 

William  Tell,  November  30,  December  9,  23,  1826,  February 
i,  April  7,  May  9,  1827. 

Pizarro,  January  25,  27,  30,  March  22,  April  17,  June  9, 
1827. 

Don  Giovanni  (Mozart),  February  12,  27,  1827. 

Abaellino,  June  22,  1827. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  June  26,  1827. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  December  6,  1826. 

The  Wood  Daemon,  January  i,  4,  12,  20,  1827. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  January  9,  13,  17,  February  6,  March  5, 
1827. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  January  15,  I9,217  February  19,  March 
8,  1827. 

Matrimony }  February  24,  1827. 

Returned  Killed,0  March  2,  5,  6,  10,  12,  May  7,  1827. 

Adelgitha,  March  7,  1827. 

Columbus,  March  19,  21,  1827. 

The  Blind  Boy  (  ?),  March  23,  May  8,  1827. 

The  West  Indian,  May  17,  19,  June  26,  1827. 

The  Flying  Dutchman,0  May  25,  26,  27,  30,  June  2,  5,  12, 
14,  20,  23,  30,  July  5,  1827. 

Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great,  June  21,  1827. 

The  Innkeeper  s  Daughter,  June  22,  1827. 

The  summary  shows  seven  German  plays  presented  in  nine 
teen  performances;  four  of  the  plays  are  by  Kotzebue;  they  ac 
count  for  ten  of  the  nineteen  performances. 

The  Broadway  Circus  and  the  Mount  Pitt  Circus. 
Both   of   the  circuses   gave   dramatic  performances   which 
might  attract  or  interest  the  class  of  people  which  frequented 


The  "Song  of  Tell"  was  sung  by  Signorina  Garcia. 


138    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

them;  at  the  Broadway,  in  spite  of  the  extremely  short  season, 
three  different  German  plays  are  put  on  while  but  two  appear  at 
the  Mount  Pitt  Circus. 

Mount  Pitt  Circus. 
La  Perouse,  May  19,  22,  30,  1827. 
How  to  Die  for  Love,  June  12,  1827. 
Valentine  and  Orson,  April  16,  24,  1827. 
Tektti,  May  2,  4,  1827. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  May  21,  23,  June  15,  22,  1827. 
The  Miller  and  His  Men,  May  24,  25,  29,  June  u,  27,  1827. 
The  Blind  Boy,  June  13,  1827. 
Raymond  and  Agnes,  June  20,  28,  1827. 

Summary. 

Two  German  plays  in  four  performances.  Both  are  Kotze- 
bue  plays. 

Broadway. 

The  Stranger,  May  3i,218  June  9,  1827. 

Abaellino,  June  4,  1827. 

La  Perouse,  June  13,  1827. 

The  Demi's  Bridge,  June  n,  1827. 

Summary. 

Three  German  plays  in  four  performances.  Two  of  the 
three  plays  are  by  Kotzebue. 

Summer  Season  at  the  Park  Theatre. 

During  the  summer  of  1827  the  French  Company  from  the 
theatre  in  New  Orleans  came  to  New  York  to  give  performances 
in  French.  From  all  reports  the  theatre  was  fairly  attended  and 
company  received  generous  comments  in  the  papers.  The  only 
plays  of  interest  to  us  are :  La  Belle  Allemande,  ou  Le  Grenadier 
du  Frederic  Guillaume  (August  15),  Marie  Stuart  (?)  (August 


118  This  was  the  opening  performance  of  the  season.  The  players  were 
from  the  Chatham  Theatre  Company.  The  partial  cast  is :  The  Stranger,  Mr. 
Scott ;  Baron  de  Steinfort,  Mr.  Stevenson ;  Peter,  Mr.  Simpson ;  Mrs.  Haller, 
Mrs.  Entwistle. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    139 

1 8,  20),  and  Werter,  ou  Les  Egarements  d'un  Coeur  sensible 
(August  29).  Concerning  the  first  two  nothing  definite  could  be 
found  except  the  cast  219  of  Marie  Stuart,  which,  however,  is  of 
no  value  in  determining  whether  the  play  is  based  on  Schiller  or 
whether  it  is  an  independent  French  production. 

The  third  play,  Werter,  presents  the  strange  combination  of 
a  German  work  played  in  French  in  an  essentially  English-speak 
ing  city.  Whether  this  is  an  arrangement  of  Werther  by  Pixer- 
icourt,  cannot  be  stated. 

Summer  Performances  at  the  Chatham  and  Bowery. 

There  are  very  few  performances  to  note  for  the  part  of  the 
seasons  of  these  playhouses,  which  continues  into  the  summer. 
At  the  Chatham  the  following  uncertain  plays  were  put  on :  Two 
Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great  (July  6),  The  Slave  (July  9),  The 
Snowstorm0  (?)220  (July  16,  17). 

At  the  Bowery  a  number  of  German  plays  appear:  The 
Stranger  (August  18),  Pizarro  (July  25),  and  How  to  Die  for 
Love  (July  10).  We  also  record  The  Flying  Dutchman  (July 
10,  17,  21,  24,  28,  August  i,  9,  15,  22,  28)  and  Two  Pages  of 
Frederick  the  Great  (July  13). 

The  combined  results  for  the  summer  give  five  German  plays 
in  eight  performances. 

Summary  for  the  Entire  Season  at  All  Theatres. 

Park   Theatre,  8  plays  in  40  performances. 

Chatham,  7  plays  in  21  performances. 

Lafayette,  3  plays  in    7  performances. 

Bowery,  7  plays  in  19  performances. 

Mt.  Pitt,  2  plays  in    4  performances. 

Broadway,  3  plays  in    4  performances. 

Summer  Season,221  5  plays  in    8  performances. 

219  The  cast  as  published  in  the  Evening  Post,  August  27,  1827,  is  as  fol 
lows :  Marie,  Mme.  Clozel ;  Elizabeth,  Mme.  Chollet;  Mortimer,  Mons. 
Edouard. 

820  The  Snowstorm  was  the  title  of  Barrymore's  Loixnna  of  Toboliska. 
Cf.  p.  85. 

™  For  details  see  the  preceding  page. 


140    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

In  all  there  were  103  performances  of  the  following  fifteen 
German  plays :  Dcr  Freischutz,  Don  Giovanni,  Pizarro,  Oberon, 
William  Tell,  The  Stranger,  The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  The  Rob 
bers,  Of  Age  Tomorrow,  Rugantino,  Deaf  and  Dumb,  La  Pe- 
rouse,  Abaellino,  How  to  Die  for  Love,  and  Werter.222 

Season  of  1827-1828. 

Park  Theatre,  September  3,  1827,  to  August  2,  1828. 

Chatham,  August,  1827,  to  August,  1828. 

Lafayette,  September  29,  1827,  to  September,  1828. 

Bowery,  September  i,  1827,  to  May  26,  i828.223 

Mt.  Pitt,  September,  1827,  to  June,  1828. 

Sans  Souci,  July  4,  i828.224 

During  the  year  there  are  four  theatres  of  importance  with 
good  companies  giving  performances.  The  last  two  mentioned 
are  of  very  little  importance. 

The  Park  Theatre  (Season  of  1827-1828}. 

The  Park  as  the  oldest  theatre  presents  the  strongest  list  of 
plays,  among  them  two  new  ones  of  great  interest :  Faustus  and 
The  Poachers.  The  former  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  New 
York  at  the  Park  Theatre  October  n,  1827.  The  play  as  given 
was  Soane's  arrangement  of  the  German  theme.  In  the  news 
paper  notices  it  is  said  to  be  founded  on  Goethe's  Faust,  but  one 
would  hardly  recognize  the  original  from  the  plot  and  characters 
as  outlined  in  the  following  somewhat  lengthy  but  interesting 
comments.  The  first  notice  is  in  the  New  York  Spy:225  "Faustus, 
October  n,  1827.  The  play  of  Faustus  is  founded  on  the  cele 
brated  Faust  of  Goethe,  the  most  romantic  and  popular  drama 
of  the  German  school.  It  teaches  that  unbridled  curiosity  if 


823  Given  in  French. 

023  The  Lafayette  has  been  rebuilt  during  the  summer ;  the  Bowery  burned 
May  26,  1828. 

224  Sans  Souci  opened  July  4  in  Niblo's  Garden  and  continued  through 
the  summer.  One  of  the  first  and  best  attractions  which  it  offered  was  Herr 
Cline,  The  German  Samson. 

325  The  New  York  Spy,  October  13,  1827.  (An  excellent  paper  for  theatrical 
reviews.) 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    141 

mingled  with  enthusiasm  of  feeling  and  power  of  intellect,  and 
directed  to  those  mysteries  which  are  too  intricate  and  too  vast 
for  human  understanding,  must  necessarily  end  in  despair.  Thus 
said  the  playbills  of  Thursday  evening  when  this  drama  was  pro 
duced,  which  is  the  most  splendid  in  every  particular  we  have 
ever  seen." 

The  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  too, 
adds  its  approval  with  a  few  notes  and  anecdotes  about  the 
play  :226  "The  new  drama  of  Faiistus  has  met  with  the  most  de 
cided  success.  Indeed  this  subject  seems  ordained  to  succeed  in 
all  ages  and  in  all  shapes.  The  first  noise  that  the  German  student 
Faust  or  Fanstus  made  in  the  world  was  as  the  inventor  of  the 
'noble  art'  of  printing,  the  art  (as  young  Fourth  of  Jury  orators 
say)  that  has  broken  the  bonds  of  darkness — that  has  dissemi 
nated  the  light  of  knowledge  from  pole  to  pole,  etc.,  etc.  .  .  . 

"Goethe  next  took  Faust  in  hand  and  Goethe  rendered  him 
immortal.  We  believe  Lord  Gower's  translation  has  been  but 
little  read  in  this  country.  It  ought  to  be  read  and  now  is  the 
fittest  season.  The  Faust  of  Goethe  is  not  light  summer  read 
ing — it  is  not  a  work  for  a  man  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind,  over 
a  cheerful  fire:  but  when  suicidal  November  sheds  its  sombre 
influence  on  the  soul,  take  up  Faust  and  then  'congenial  horrors 
hail !'  But,  undoubtedly,  the  way  in  which  F.  is  known  to  the 
public,  stripped  of  all  the  delusive  gloss  of  poetry,  you  have  his 
plain  unvarnished  dealings  with  the  devil.  We  recollect  some 
thing  of  an  anecdote  concerning  it.  The  Isle  of  Man,  as  is  well 
known,  is  a  place  of  refuge  for  half  the  smugglers  of  the  United 
Kingdoms  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  These  'minions  of  the 
moon'  are  not  much  addicted  to  polite  literature ;  and  their  ladies 
being  principally  employed  in  repairing  fishing  tackle,  have  of 
course  little  time  to  form  blue  stocking  coteries;  and  a  copy  of 
the  Bible  and  a  copy  of  Faustus  were  the  only  books  extant 
upon  the  island;  and  the  latter  by  constant  wear,  at  length  be 
came  so  bethummed  as  to  be  altogether  illegible.  What  was  to 


New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  V,  p.  119  (October  20, 


142    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  Ynrk  Stage  to  1830 

be  done  in  this  emergency?  The  belles  lettres  were  on  the 
decline.  The  'march  of  mind'  was  retrograde  in  the  Isle  of  Man. 
Nothing  was  left  to  teach  the  'young  ideas'  of  the  future  'Manks' 
to  shoot.  A  meeting  was  forthwith  called,  to  consider  what 
standard  work  was  to  be  procured  from  Edinburgh,  when  it  was 
unanimously  resolved :  That  a  new  Dr.  Faust  should  be  ordered. 

"To  crown  the  whole,  Mr.  Soane  undertook  to  manufacture 
a  drama  out  of  this  exhaustless  subject.  As  a  dramatic  it  (S's. 
Faust)  possesses  trifling  merit  and  is  in  fact  little  more  than  a 
well-contrived  vehicle  for  scenic  representation — but  these  rep 
resentations  amply  compensate  for  all  deficiencies.  It  is,  from 
first  to  last,  a  succession  of  splendid  scenes  superior,  we  think, 
to  anything  of  the  kind  hitherto  exhibited  in  this  country,  and  a 
few  of  them,  The  Drachenfels,  at  sunset,  The  Rialto  in  Venice 
and  the  Street  in  Naples,  not,  perhaps,  exceeded  in  any  other. 
The  music  by  Bishop  and  Horn  is  of  a  very  superior  kind.  .  .  . 

"To  conclude  this  lengthy  article,  Faust  is  a  spectacle  well 
worth  seeing.  The  Journal  of  Commerce  ought  to  notice  it  for 
it  is,  if  we  may  believe  the  playbills,  very  moral  and  in  the  last 
scene  certainly  contrives  'to  show 

The  very  place  where  wicked  people  go.' ' 

More  satisfying,  however,  is  the  synopsis  of  the  play  as  rep 
resented  at  the  Park  in  the  Spy  of  October  20,  1827. 

"In  our  last,  we  briefly  alluded  to  the  new  drama  Faustus, 
which  was  repeated  with  increased  effect  on  Saturday  evening 
(October  13,  1827),  and  we  are  glad  to  say,  was  witnessed  by 
a  very  numerous  audience.  The  basis  of  the  piece  may  be  given 
in  a  few  words : 

"Faust,  not  content  with  his  natural  abilities  and  acquired 
knowledge,  wishes  to  fathom  the  depths  of  supernatural  mys 
teries,  and  being  possessed  of  the  grand  secret  of  summoning 
spirits  from  the  nether  world,  orders  Mephisto  (his  aid  and 
abettor  in  all  subsequent  transactions)  to  be  forthwith  forth 
coming.  As  a  matter  of  course  he  is  obeyed;  but  as  Mr.  Devil 
appears  in  a  rather  uncouth  dress,  he  is  ordered  to  change  it, 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    143 

and  having  his  portmanteau  with  him,  he  slips  behind  the  wings 
and  presto !  comes  forth  in  very  comely  attire.  Gertain  negotia 
tions  are  now  entered  upon  and  after  mature  discussion,  the  pre 
liminaries,  covenants  and  agreements  are  settled  and  arrange 
ments  concluded,  touching  their  future  operations,  to  the  satis 
faction  of  both  parties. 

"Faustus  has  a  great  itching  to  visit  Venice,  where  Adine, 
of  whom  he  is  desperately  fond,  has  taken  up  her  residence,  but 
being  loath  to  waste  his  time  in  traveling,  he  very  inhumanly 
causes  all  the  country  about  him  (inhabitants  and  all,  we  pre 
sume)  to  disappear  and  before  you  can  say  Jack  Robinson,  Venice 
occupies  the  vacuum.  Here  they  find  themselves  on  the  Rialto 
at  once  and  as  luck  will  have  it,  they  hardly  secure  a  good  footing 
before  Adine  comes  directly  to  the  spot. 

"Another  very  mysterious  migration  brings  the  three  into  a 
beautiful  Valley,  where  their  stay  is  extremely  brief,  owing  to 
the  unwillingness  of  Adine  to  participate  in  such  queer  doings — 
when  they  endeavor  to  prevail  upon  her,  she  invokes  the  aid  of 
Heaven,  which  startles  Mephistopheles  and  he  takes  himself  off. 
Somehow  or  other  Faust  gets  tired  of  Adine  and  without  the 
slightest  provocation  he  commences  paying  his  distresses  to 
Rosalia,  her  sister,  whom  he  is  determined  to  have  at  all  hazards. 
After  most  affectionately  killing  her  brother,  he  enters  the  house, 
shortly  after,  and  with  the  assistance  of  his  aid,  bears  off  the  fair 
prize  to  his  palace.  He  is  pursued  thither  by  Rosalia's  friends, 
and  not  only  compelled  to  give  her  up  but  (Mephisto  not  being 
at  hand)  is  taken  into  custody  and  immured  in  prison.  He  is  de 
livered  in  due  time,  however,  by  his  guardian  spirit  on  condition 
of  murdering  the  King  of  Naples,  and  placing  himself  on  the 
throne,  which  after  some  hesitation,  he  agrees  to.  No  sooner  is 
he  King  than  M.  takes  French  leave — leaving  him  to  deal  out 
death  and  destruction  among  his  subjects,  which  he  does  in  an  ex 
tremely  unceremonious  style.  Just  as  some  of  the  parties  are  be 
ing  led  to  the  execution,  Adine  (who  has  been,  we  believe  in  a 
convent)  rushes  in,  her  face  pale,  her  brain  maddened  by  despair 
and  urges  him  to  repentance,  intimating  that  she  has  had  a 


144    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

dreadful  vision  which  conveyed  the  idea  that  he  was  about  to  be 
borne  away  by  demons  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  So  far  from 
accrediting  this  vision  and  thereby  saving  his  bacon,  he  is  so 
hardy  as  to  defy  the  demons,  when  the  honest  gentleman  with 
whom  he  has  been  keeping  company,  conformable  to  the  rules  in 
such  cases  made  and  provided,  enters  bringing  with  him  divers 
fire  and  smoke,  together  with  his  original  dress  on  and  without 
a  'by  your  leave'  or  'with  your  leave'  hurries  the  august  king  to 
Pandemonium,  where  it  is  supposed  he  introduces  him  to  his 
friends — and  so  ends  the  life  and  adventures  of  Mr.  Faustus. 

"There  is  a  trifling  underplot  which  has  but  little  connection 
with  the  main  incidents,  except  in  unravelling  a  few  of  its  intri 
cacies  and  affording  some  relief  to  the  monotony  that  pervades 
the  whole. 

"We  are  not  among  those  who  sanction  the  production  of 
these  strange  creations  of  the  German  school — but  as  the  public 
appetite  is  voracious  for  this  species  of  entertainment  we  cannot 
blame  the  manager  for  studying  his  interest  in  endeavoring  to 
gratify  it — and  he  has  left  nothing  undone  which  could  add  to 
the  splendour  and  effect  of  the  piece  and  we  hope  his  reward 
will  be  commensurate  with  his  exertions.  As  we  have  said  be 
fore,  Mr.  Walker's  principal  scenes  are  second  to  none  we  ever 
witnessed,  the  Drachenfels  is  a  most  enchanting  view,  the  ele 
gant  disposal  of  his  subject  in  contrasting  the  light  and  the 
shade ;  the  tremendous  and  imposing  appearance  of  the  'towering 
steeps'  is  equalled  by  the  succeeding  view  of  St.  Mark's  Place  and 
the  Rialto  of  Venice,  which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  things 
within  our  remembrance." 

Although  the  play  was,  as  has  been  seen,  far  from  the  Faust 
of  Goethe,  it  served  to  draw  attention  to  the  original  work  and 
in  this  way  is  of  no  little  import.  The  mysterious  and  supernat 
ural  elements  which  made  the  piece  popular  are  considered  ear 
marks  of  the  "German  school"  by  our  critic,  who  objects  partic 
ularly  to  this  feature  of  the  play.  Yet  these  elements  were 
added  by  the  adapter  in  England  to  insure  the  success  of  the 
piece. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    145 

The  play  was  first  cast  thus  in  New  York : 

Faustus,  Mr.  Simpson. 

Count  Orsino,  Mr.  Howard. 

Count  Cassanova,  Mr.  Placide. 

Montolio,  Mr.  Woodhull. 

Mephistopheles,  Mr.  Barry. 

Adine,  Mrs.  Knight. 

Rosalia,  Mrs.  Sharpe. 

Lucetta,  Mrs.  Hackett. 

Wagner,  Mr.  Hilson. 

The  second  play  which  is  new  this  season  is  The  Poachers, 
said  to  be  a  version  of  Kotzebue's  Roebuck.221  It  is  also  pro 
duced  the  following  year  with  a  different  cast  under  the  name 
The  Roebuck.2291  Thus  we  see  Kotzebue  dramas  still  being  pro 
duced  although  their  author  was  long  since  dead. 

The  cast  of  the  London  play  is  :229  Count  Elberfeldt,  Baron 
Wolfenstein,  Sourkrout,  Countess  de  Lisle,  Countess  Elberfeldt 
and  Crisette. 

The  plot  is  given  at  length  in  the  New  York  Evening  Post 
of  July  21,  1828.  It  agrees  so  closely  in  all  details  with  Genest's 
resume  that  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  we  are  here  dealing  with 
the  London  edition  of  The  Poachers. 

We  note  also  The  Gambler's  Fate,  a  drama  taken  from  the 
French,  but  showing  two  German  characters,  Lindorf  and  Al 
bert.  The  scene  of  the  first  act  is  in  Paris,  but  the  second  act 
plays  in  Germany.230  A  ballet,  The  Dutch  Fair,  the  comic  Ba 
varian  Trio  (November  19,  21)  and  the  Bavarian  Broom  Song 
(September  n,  December  14,  March  19,  1828)  are  trifles  which 
are  not  listed  with  the  regular  plays. 


*7  Cf.  Genest,  IX,  p.  253. 

228  Produced  at  the  Bowery  (N.  Y.)  March  16,  1829.  Cf.  p.  164  of  this 
paper. 

829  Cf.  Genest,  IX,  p.  253.  For  plot  of  Kotzebue's  Rehbock  cf.  Rabany: 
Kotzebue.  Sa  vie  et  son  temps,  pp.  4°9-4i4- 

230  Cf.  Genest,  IX,  p.  401. 


146    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Summary  (Park  Theatre,  Season  1827-1828). 

The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  September  25,  November  16,  1827, 
January  21,  30,  February  14,  May  27,  June  4,  1828. 

Faustus°  October  n,  13,  16,  20,  23,  24,  27,  31,  November 
6,  10,  20,  December  8,  1827,  April  22,  1828. 

Der  Freischutz,  October  29,  November  8,  1827,  January  23, 
25,  29,  February  i,  7,  12,  March  28,  31,  April  7,  June  13,  1828. 

Fraternal  Discord,  December  31,  1827,  January  15,  1828. 

Lovers'  Vows,  March  19,  1828. 

Pizarro,  May  24,  July  25,  1828. 

William  Tell,  July  12,  August  i  (2nd  Act),  1828. 

The  Poachers,0  July  19,  21,  24,  1828. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Adrian  and  Orilla,  October  2,  1827. 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  October  17,  19,  November  2,  1827, 
April  25,  1828. 

Adelgitha,  November  21,  1828. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  December  18,  1827,  February  26,  1828. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  December   21,  1827. 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  December  24,  1827. 

Swedish  Patriotism,  January  I,  1828. 

The  Gambler's  Fate,0  November  15,  18,  27,  1827,  January 
5,  10,  March  6,  July  8,  30,  1828. 

Giovanni  in  London,  February  22,  29,  March  7,  18,  April 
19,  July  i,  1828. 

The  Slave,  April  2,  1828. 

Columbus,  June  10,  1828. 

Adeline,  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction^  July  18,  1828. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  July  26,  1828. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  July  29,  31,  August  2,  1828. 

The  comments  for  the  season  are  for  the  most  part  confined 
to  the  opera,  Der  Freischutz.  The  articles  herewith  reproduced 
show  that  German  music  and  melody  had  sung  itself  into  the 
hearts  of  the  American  public  while  the  legend  of  the  plot  is 
termed  "sublime  and  thrilling".  The  first  comment  is  on  the 


The  Hunting  Chorus  from  The  Freischutz  was  given  with  Adeline. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    147 

performance  of  the  opera  November  8,  1827.  "Circumstances 
prevented  our  last  week's  noticing  the  opera  Dcr  Freischutz.  It 
is  now  rather  late  in  the  day  to  do  so,  but  yet  we  cannot  suffer 
such  an  important  feature  in  the  dramatic  concerns  of  our  city 
to  pass  without  rendering  it  our  tribute  of  praise.  The  perform 
ance  of  such  a  drama  as  Der  Freischutz,  Weber's  Freischutz — 
not  the  medley  compound  that  has  heretofore  been  substituted — 
is  in  itself,  a  matter  of  considerable  interest;  but  with  such  a 
Linda  as  Mrs.  Knight  and  with  the  very  best  Caspar232  on  either 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  it  must  be  quite  an  era  in  the  annals  of  a 
musical  amateur.  Weber's  fame  has  in  this  country  preceded  his 
works;  but  those  works  will  amply  sustain  that  fame;  they  are 
strikingly  original  and  essentially  dramatic.  Der  Freischutz  is 
his  masterpiece.  Oberon,  abounding  as  it  does  in  beautiful  pas 
sages  is  yet  decidedly  inferior ;  the  tinsel  of  the  Eastern  fiction  ill 
compensates  for  the  wild  sublimity  and  thrilling  interest  of  the 
German  legend."233 

The  second  article  appeared  somewhat  later,  February  2, 
1828,  and  even  outdoes  the  first  in  its  praise  of  the  opera.  "Who 
ever  omits  seeing  Weber's  Der  Freischutz  leaves  a  blank  in  his 
theatrical  life — which  nothing  can  fill  up — it  has  no  parallel — 
but  stands  alone  in  the  recollection  of  playgoers  like  Cooke's  lago 
or  Kean's  Othello.  There  is  genius  and  originality  in  every  note 
of  the  music — and  a  very  strange  originality  at  times  it  is.  What, 
for  instance,  could  be  a  bolder  yet  happier  conception  than  the 
'Laughing  Chorus'.  The  'Bridesmaids'  Chorus'  is  the  essence 
of  soft  and  flowing  sweetness  and  'The  Huntsman's  Chorus' 
breathes  the  very  soul  of  greenwood  melody.  .  .  . 

"Upon  the  whole  the  city  ought  to  see  Der  Freischutz,  for  as 
we  said  before  even  those  'who  have  no  music  in  their  souls'  will 
be  well  repaid  by  the  deep  dramatic  interest  produced. 

"There  is  a  thrilling  excitement  about  the  German  legends, 
not  to  be  met  with  in  those  of  any  other  nation — particularly 
when  witchcraft  is  concerned.  The  wraiths  and  Kelpies  of  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland  are  mere  child's  play  to  the  substantial 

'"Keene? 

233  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  V,  p.  151   (November 
17,  1827). 


148    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

demonism  of  the  Black  Forest  of  Germany.  Other  nations  in 
such  dramas  as  the  Freischitts  appear  afraid  of  going  too  far; 
and  then  their  horrors  are  so  very  mechanical  and  always  come 
at  the  proper  time  and  place.  They  manage  these  matters  better 
in  Germany  and  effect  more  by  a  whisper — a  hint — a  broken 
laugh — or  a  half  told  tale — (the  other  half  veiled  in  impenetra 
ble  mystery)  than  can  be  effected  by  the  most  terrible  collection 
of  words  that  can  be  strung  together. 

"There  are  a  good  many  of  these  indefinable  incidents  in 
Der  Freischutz.  For  instance  the  old  picture  falling  and  wound 
ing  Linda  at  the  very  hour  Adolph  shot  the  demon's  eagle, — 
Caspar  fanning  his  unholy  fire  with  that  very  eagle's  wing,  etc. — 
and,  when,  after  Caspar  has  succeeded  in  persuading  Adolph  to 
visit  the  fiend,  nothing  can  be  better  than  the  demoniac  laugh 
which  responds  to  his  exulting  exclamation  :  'He  who  plays  with 
the  fiend  must  look  to  be  deceived.'  "234 

Such  a  play  or  those  of  much  lower  standard,  particularly 
The  Flying  Dutchman  and  Faustus  drew  large  houses  and  were 
a  constant  thorn  in  the  sides  of  those  who  longed  for  the  real 
drama.  A  note  of  complaint  is  sounded  in  the  Spy:235  "Let  the 
"Flying  Islanders"236  take  to  their  wings  and  Faustus  go  to  the 
Devil !  But  let  us  adhere  to  the  regular  drama  in  all  its  purity." 

Another  German  drama  is  held  up  as  an  example  worthy  of 
being  oftener  seen  on  the  New  York  stage,  viz.,  Fraternal  Dis 
cord.  The  Spy,  whose  editor  was  pleading  for  "the  regular 
drama  in  all  its  purity",  is  the  paper  in  which  the  following  article 
appeared :  "Fraternal  Discord  is  a  very  pleasing  and  effective 
drama.  We  are  surprised  that  this  drama  and  others  which 
have  an  affinity  to  it,  are  not  oftener  performed.  The  composi 
tion  is  good  and  the  incidents  are  well  contrived,  the  characters 
naturally  sketched  and  the  moral  excellent — and  yet,  with  all 
these  recommendations  it  is  seldom  played,  unless  to  give  an  in- 


284  New  York  Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  V,  p.  239  (February  2, 
1828). 

286  The  New  York  Spy,  January  i,  1828. 

**  Refers  to  a  drama  entitled  Peter  Wilkens. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    149 

valid  an  opportunity  of  appearing  in  accordance  with  his  situa 
tion."237 

The  summary  for  the  Park  shows  eight  German  plays  in 
thirty-two  performances.  Two  of  the  plays  may  be  looked  upon 
as  revivals  for  this  theatre;  they  are:  Fraternal  Discord  and 
Lovers'  Vows. 

The  Chatham  Theatre  (Season  1827-1828). 
At  the  Chatham  we  find  no  new  plays  this  season  and  but 
one  unimportant  revival :  The  Point  of  Honor.  The  list  shows  a 
strong  preference  for  the  Kotzebue  drama — of  the  five  German 
dramas  presented,  four  are  by  this  author.  The  other  drama 
which  holds  out  with  the  above  mentioned  plays  is  The  Robbers. 

Summary. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  December  5,  1827,  June  9,  July  5,  1828. 
Pizarro,  December   n,  22,   1827,  January  28,   March  27, 
April  9,  July  18,  1828. 

The  Stranger,  December  13,  1827,  June  17,  1828. 
The  Robbers,  December  15,  1827,  January  24,238  1828. 
How  to  Die  for  Love,  March  20,  26,  May  6,  1828. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Snowstorm,239  December  15,  20,  1827. 
The  Bleeding  Nun,  December  18,  1827. 
Raymond  and  Agnes,  March  21,  1828. 
The  Wood  Daemon,  January  8,  9,  10,  n,  30,  February  23, 

1828. 

The  Wheel  of  Fortune,  January  17,  1828. 
The  West  Indian,  February  13,  1828. 
The  Wandering  Boys,  February  16,  22,  1828. 
The  Hero  of  the  North,  February  22,  26,  1828. 
The  Floating  Beacon,  March  29,  April  9,  1828. 


237  The  New  York  Spy,  January  5,  1828.     On  December  8,  1827,  Messrs. 
Simpson  and  Barry  together  with   Mrs.   Barry  were  injured   during  a  per 
formance  of  Faustus.     December  31   Mr.   Simpson  appeared  on  crutches  in 
Fraternal  Discord,  quite  in  keeping  with  his  role. 

238  Cast  for  January  24,   1828:   Charles  de  Moor,  Mr.  Maywood;  Franz 
de  Moor,  Forrest;  Amelia,  Miss  Twibill. 

289  The  same  as  Lowina  of  Toboilska,  or  The  Fatal  Snowstorm.     (Cf. 
pp.  85,  97,  I34-) 


150    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Miller  and  His  Men,  April  16,  July  2,  1828. 
The  Point  of  Honor,  April  21,  1828. 
Ella  Rosenberg,  April  30,    1828. 
The  Slave,  June  23,  1828. 
Adrian  and  Orilla,  June  24,  1828. 
Adelgitha,  June  26,  1828. 
7V&K,  July  24,  1828. 

The  summary  shows  five  German  plays  in  sixteen  perform 
ances. 

The  Lafayette  Amphitheatre  (Season  1827-1828). 
The  Lafayette,  after  being  rebuilt,  opened  its  doors  Sep 
tember  29,  1827,  on  which  occasion  The  Wandering  Boys  was 
played  as  an  afterpiece.  Four  German  plays  were  given :  How  to 
Die  for  Love,  Rugantino,  The  Robbers  and  Pizarro  (in  Sheri 
dan's  translation).  A  Don  Giovanni  was  also  played;  it  is 
termed  a  "Burletta",  which  would  lead  one  to  think  it  is  the 
same  as  the  play  announced  for  May  10:  Don  Giovanni,  or  The 
Spectre  on  Horseback.  One  new  uncertain  play  appears:  St. 
Mark's  Day.  Herr  Cline,  the  "German  Samson  and  Seiltanzer", 
gave  a  number  of  exhibitions  at  this  theatre  during  the  month  of 
June,  1828. 

Summary  (Season  1827-1828). 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  November  16,  1827,  April  18,  June 
26,  July  15,  1828. 

Rugantino,  March  15,  20,  1828. 
The  Robbers,  March  19,  21,  1828. 
Pizarroy  June  23,  24,  26,  30,  1828. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  September  29,  November  2,  1827, 
April  22,  June  28,  1828. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  October  12,  15,  19,  20,  30,  November 
5,  December  22,  1827,  July  29,  1828. 

Returned  Killed,  October  25,  31,  1827. 

The  Ruffian  Boy,  October  26,  November  9,  20,  1827,  Feb 
ruary  27,  May  8,  1828. 

Tekili,  November  2,  1827,  March  12,  1828. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    151 

The  Miller  and  His  Men^  November  13,  15,  1827,  January 
4,  February  14,  July  30,  1828. 

The  Flying  Dutchman,  November  17,  1827. 

Don  Giovanni  (?),  November  20,  22,  24,  26,  December  8, 
29,  1827,  January  12,  1828. 

Matrimony,  December  15,  1827,  January  4,  31,  July  14, 
1828. 

St.  Mark's  Day,0  February  4,  1828. 

Don  Giovanni,  or  The  Spectre  on  Horseback,  May  10,  1828. 

Pizarro  in  the  translation  of  Sheridan  was  revived  by  Wai- 
lack  during  his  June  performances.  It  is  the  only  play  that  elic 
ited  comment.  "Pizarro  is  to  be  repeated  at  the  Lafayette  this 
evening  (June  24,  1828).  It  is  got  up  in  excellent  style  and  the 
Rolla  of  Mr.  Wallack  has  no  superior  on  this  continent.  .  .  . 
And,  as  a  splendid,  sentimental,  virtuous  and  patriotic  spectacle 
we  presume  it  will  command  a  good  audience  for  a  handsome 
run  in  these  piping  holiday  times."240 

The  Bowery   (Season  1827-1828). 

The  season  at  the  Bowery  was  considerably  shortened  by 
the  fire  which  destroyed  the  theatre  May  26,  1828.  In  spite  of 
this  fact,  it  brings  more  German  plays  than  did  the  Lafayette. 
The  attraction  at  this  theatre  was  Forrest,  who  appeared  in  Tell 
in  the  early  part  of  the  season.  Deaf  and  Dumb  was  also  re 
vived.241  It  was  here,  too,  that  the  "celebrated  Seiltanzer,  Herr 
Cline,  from  the  Drury  Lane  Theatre",  made  his  first  appearance 
in  America.242 

Summary  (Bowery,  Season  1827-1828). 

Pizarro,  September  10,  December  13,  1827. 

William  Tell,  September  18,  22,  October  5,  December  n, 
1827,  March  3,  May  2,  16,  1828. 

How  to  Die  for  Love,  October  15,  November  5,  December 
3,  1827. 

Deaf  and  Dumb,  November  12,  15,  1827,  March  4,  1828. 

Don  Giovanni,  October  19,  1827. 

240  From  the  New  York  Enquirer,  June  24,  1828. 

241  The  announcement  of  the  play  and  a  long  synopsis  were  in  the  Spy, 
November  17,  1827. 

848  Cf.  the  New  York  Enquirer,  May  12,  1828. 


152    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  Flying  Dutchman,  October  2,  13,  31,  November  29, 
1827,  April  24,  May  22,  1828. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  November  5,  1827. 
The  Devil's  Bridge,  December  10,  1827. 
Matrimony,  March  5,  May  8,  1828. 
The  Gambler's  Fate,  March  14,  1828. 
Five  German  plays  in  sixteen  performances. 

Mt.  Pitt  Circles  (Season  1827-1828). 
How  to  Die  for  Love,  October  2,  1827. 
La  Perouse,  October  29,  30,  31,  November  i,  6,  23,  1827. 
Scenes  from  Faust,  November  13,  1827. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Tekili,  November  12,  December  4,  5,  1827. 

The  Blind  Boy  ( ?),  February  4,  1828. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  February  9,  1828. 

The  Fatal  Snowstorm,  June  27,  1828. 

Two  German  plays  in  seven  performances  and  the  repre 
sentation  of  a  number  of  scenes  from  Faustus. 

At  the  Sans  Souci  Theatre  there  is  nothing  to  note  except 
the  exhibitions  of  Herr  Cline. 

Totals  for  the  Season. 

Park  Theatre,  8  German  plays  in  32  performances. 

Chatham,  5  German  plays  in  16  performances. 

Lafayette,  4  German  plays  in  12  performances. 

Bowery,  5  German  plays  in  16  performances. 

Mt.   Pitt,  2  German  plays  in     7  performances. 

The  German  plays  that  were  put  on  in  all  theatres  in  New 
York  during  the  season  of  1827-1828  are  as  follows:  The  Mar 
riage  of  Figaro,  Faustus,  Der  Freischutz,  Fraternal  Discord, 
Lovers'  Vows,  Pizarro,  William  Tell,  The  Poachers,  How  to  Die 
for  Love,  Rugantino,  The  Robbers,  Of  Age  Tomorrow,  The 
Stranger,  Deaf  and  Dumb,  Don  Giovanni  and  La  Perouse. 
There  were  in  all  sixteen  different  German  plays  put  on  in  eighty- 
three  performances. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    153 

As  usual  there  is  a  sentiment  against  the  German  drama  ex 
pressed  once  in  a  while,  yet  these  statements  are  always  general 
against  the  "German  school".  The  critique  of  a  new  drama,  en 
titled  The  Wonder,  is  an  example  of  such  an  expression.  "This 
drama  (The  Wonder)  was  written  by  an  Englishwoman  before 
the  Sentimental  German  School  had  come  in  to  spoil  us. with  its 
mawkish  platonics  and  maudlin  metaphysics."243  We  might  add 
that  the  Englishwoman  referred  to  is  Mrs.  Centlivre  (died 

I723)- 

Season  of  1828-1829. 

Park  Theatre,  September  i,  1828,  to  August  17,  1829. 

Chatham,244  September  15-November  i,  1828,  May  20, 
1829,  to  July  4.  July  i5-September  i,  1829. 

Bowery  (new),  August  20,  1828,  to  July  24,  1829. 

Lafayette,  December  24,  i828-March,  1829.  April  6-n, 
i829.245 

The  season  at  the  Park  is  again  the  most  interesting  of  all 
the  seasons;  it  brings  a  revival  of  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  a  num 
ber  of  performances  of  Weber's  Oberon,  and,  most  important  of 
all,  a  performance  in  German,  of  one  act  of  Goethe's  Egmont. 
Pizarro  with  Wallack  in  the  role  of  Rolla  has  more  performances 
(9)  than  any  other  one  play  for  the  season. 

Oberon,  which  was  termed  "the  last  and  most  perfect  effort 
of  Von  Weber's  genius'  ^  was  put  on  October  9,  1 1  and  18.  The 
opera  itself  received  favorable  criticism  but  the  management  of 
the  scenery  was  evidently  not  satisfactory.  A  communication 
signed  "A.  B."  appeared  in  the  Morning  Courier,  in  which  the 
new  piece  does  not  receive  gentle  treatment.  "On  Thursday 
evening  (Oct.  9)  I  witnessed  the  first  representation  of  Oberon 
and  without  exception  found  it  the  most  wearisome  opera  got 
up  in  this  or  any  other  country.  The  songs  of  Mr.  Horn  and 

***  New  York  Evening  Post,  May  3,  1828. 

244  The  Chatham  opened  in  the  fall  under  the  management  of  Cooper,  but 
closed  its  doors  November  i,  1828.  It  was  taken  over  by  Wallack  and 
Hackett,  renovated  and  opened  under  the  name  "American  Opera  House," 
May  20,'  1829.  It  soon  lost  its  prestige. 

115  Burned  April  11,  1829. 

w<lNew  York  Evening  Post,  October  11,  1828. 


154    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

Mrs.  Austin  247  were,  as  usual,  excellent,  yet  the  Trumpet  song — 
the  only  piece  encored — does  not  belong  to  that  opera. 

"All  the  beauties,  and  in  fact  all  that  is  worth  seeing  in 
Oberon  which  took  four  hours  to  perform,  might  be  represented 
in  one;  and  I  should  strongly  recommend  its  being  curtailed  at 
least  to  one  third  its  present  length.  Otherwise  the  visitors  had 
better  take  their  night  caps  with  them  and  prepare  for  a  long 
snooze. 

"No  representation  is  ever  equal  to  what  is  expected  from 
the  modern  puff  handbills — yet  I  naturally  expected  that  Mr. 
Etienne  would  preside  at  the  pianoforte,  as  was  announced — but 
he  was  not  there,  a  matter  not  much  to  be  regretted  as  his  ser 
vices  would  have  been  useless  in  Oberon.  Yet  managers  should 
always  fulfill  their  promises,  particularly  where  there  are  two 
opposition  theatres.  Monsieur  Dunn,  it  was  stated,  with  'num 
erous  assistants'  would  attend  to  the  machinery.  From  the 
bungling  manner  in  which  they  performed  their  work,  pieces  of 
clouds,  forts,  palaces,  waterfalls,  trees,  rosebushes  and  devils' 
heads  being  mixed  with  the  curtains  that  neither  would  go  up 
nor  down,  one  would  suppose  that  Mr.  Dunn  alone  did  all  the 
business. 

"Sir  Huon  could  not  get  up  to  the  clouds,  although  Oberon 
waved  his  white  stick  a  long  time  to  give  him  a  start,  but  he  came 
down  after  a  fashion.  And  the  man  with  a  single  tallow  candle 
who  lighted  up  the  sun — not  keeping  it  steady,  the  audience 
were  gratified  by  a  half  dozen  eclipses  of  that  planet  in  the 
course  of  a  few  moments  much  to  the  astonishment  of  our  friend 
Ritchings  who  appeared  more  like  a  King  of  Giants  than  of 
Fairies,  who  we  are  led  to  believe  are  of  a  pigmy  race. 

"A.  B."248 

In  the  same  issue  of  the  Morning  Courier  a  much  more  fav 
orable  opinion  is  expressed :  "The  opera  of  Oberon  was  brought 
out  with  uncommon  splendour  of  scenery — but  it  was  badly 
managed  as  is  often  the  case  with  a  first  representation  of  this 
kind.  The  music  is  delightful,  wandering  through  a  range  of 
variety  in  style,  which  renders  the  opera  most  fascinating.  The 

847  In  the  opera  Mr.  Horn  sang  "Sir  Huon"  and  Mrs.  Austin  "Reza". 
""The  New  York  Morning  Courier,  October  11,  1828. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    155 

Ouverture  is  a  splendid  composition  and  was  given  with  fine 
effect."  An  editorial  of  October  13,  makes  amends  for  anything 
that  may  have  been  published  previously  in  the  columns  of  the 
Courier.  The  writer  was  delighted  with  the  new  work  in  spite 
of  a  few  drawbacks  in  the  management  of  the  scenery.  The 
editorial  concludes  in  the  following  manner :  "It  was  some  time 
before  the  New  York  public  comprehended  the  music  of  Der 
Freischutz  but  when  they  did  comprehend  it,  they  were  delighted. 
The  music  of  Oberon  is  perhaps  more  difficult,  of  deeper  execu 
tion  and  of  more  intricacy.  For  this  very  reason  it  wrill  ulti 
mately  be  more  attractive."249 

Oberon,  however,  did  not  become  as  popular  as  the  other 
Weber  opera.  The  Oriental  tinge  was  not  as  attractive  as  the 
weirdness  of  the  German  legend. 

Wallack  made  the  most  of  his  fine  personal  appearance  and 
his  stagecraft  in  his  presentation  of  Pizarro.  The  Critic  gives  an 
interesting  paragraph  of  facts  concerning  the  actor  and  the  play : 
"But  the  melo-dramatic  play  of  Pizarro  affords  a  character  in 
which  the  stage-knowledge,  the  handsome  person,  and  handsome 
dresses  of  this  actor  can  be  displayed  to  great  advantage ;  and  as 
the  language  is  rather  that  of  declamation  than  of  nature ;  as  the 
situations  are  rather  interesting  from  their  picturesque  beauty 
than  from  any  strong  and  indefinable  hold  which  they  take  upon 
the  deep  and  complicated  passions  of  the  heart ;  and  as  the  admi 
ration  which  Rolla  excites  is  at  all  times  rather  to  be  ascribed  to 
the  virtuous  heroism  of  his  sentiments,  than  to  any  great  skill  in 
tragic  action  evinced  by  the  performer,  we  really  do  not  wonder 
at  the  success  which  Mr.  Wallack  meets  in  that  delineation."250 

The  most  important  event  in  the  history  of  the  New  York 
stage  in  reference  to  this  paper  is  the  performance  of  the  fifth  act 
of  Goethe's  Egmont  in  German  at  the  Park  Theatre,  July  18, 
1829.  The  performance  was  not  by  the  regular  members  of  the 
company  connected  with  the  theatre,  but  by  a  number  of  enthusi 
astic  Germans,  or  better  by  one  enthusiastic  German.  Unfortu 
nately  the  names  of  the  parties  concerned  were  not  published  and 


248  The  New  York  Morning  Courier,  October  13,  1828. 
250  The  Critic,  November  29,  1828. 


156    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

the  attempt  to  introduce  Goethe  to  an  American  audience  in  the 
original  was  a  miserable  failure.  The  announcement  of  the  per 
formance  was  made  in  the  papers  of  July  18,  1829. 

"Music  Mad,  after  which,  the  fifth  act  of  Goethe's  cele 
brated  and  much  admired  tragedy  of  Egmont.  Being  the  first  at 
tempt  at  producing  the  German  drama  on  an  American  stage. 
The  characters  by  Amatures  (sic!).  After  which  a  new  Comedy 
in  2  Acts,  entitled  The  Two  Sternbergs. 

Count  Sternberg,  Mr.  Blakely. 

Count  Lewis,  Mr.  Woodhull."251 

The  performance  took  place  as  advertised;  but  if  we  may  be 
lieve  the  words  of  the  gentleman  who  represented  Egmont,  the 
failure  was  certain  before  the  curtain  ever  rose.  The  following 
defense  explains  the  situation. 

"The  following  lines  may  be  considered  as  an  explanation 
of  the  failure  and  misrepresentation  of  Egmont  as  well  as  an 
answer  to  the  observations  of  Germanus252  under  the  head  of 
German  Tragedy  in  the  American  and  Morning  Herald.253 

"It  was  under  the  impression  that  some  performance  in  the 
original  German  might,  through  its  novelty  please  an  American 
audience  and  at  the  same  time  be  received  with  pleasure  by  my 
countrymen  in  this  city,  that  I  undertook  to  represent  at  the  Park 
Theatre  on  Saturday  evening  the  i8th  inst,  the  fifth  act  of 
Goethe's  Egmont. 

"For  this  purpose  I  had  prepared  the  rolls  (sic)  of  Ferdi 
nand  and  Silva  and  handed  them  12  days  previous  to  its  represen 
tation  to  the  parties  and  eagerly  awaited  the  moment  for  re 
hearsal;  when  on  Friday  the  I7th  in  the  afternoon,  Ferdinand 
stated  that  he  felt  himself  unable  to  fulfill  his  promise  on  account 
of  his  occupation  which  did  not  allow  him  sufficient  time  to  study 
his  part.  Egmont  had  unfortunately  been  advertised  in  the  pub 
lic  papers  and  playbills  and  even  the  papers  and  bills  were  ready 
for  the  next  morning.  .  .  . 


™  Evening  Post,  July  18,  1829. 

282  Germanus  evidently  ridiculed  the  attempt  to  put  on  a  German  drama. 
363  The  paper  and  the  article  referred  to  have  not  been  found  in  a  canvass 
of  the  New  York  Libraries. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    157 

"I  cut  out  the  parts  of  Ferdinand  and  Silva,  selected  a  few 
strong  and  adapted  passages  from  the  dialogue  of  Egmont,  wrote 
a  few  lines  to  connect  the  monologue  and  the  final  part,  and  I 
may  say,  that  when  the  time  arrived,  I  was  fully  prepared." 

The  disappointed  actor  goes  to  recite  his  woes:  how  the 
prison  cell  was  not  arranged  as  he  had  stipulated,  instead  of  the 
dim  light  which  he  ordered,  a  bright  light  was  flashed  upon  him 
as  the  curtain  rose,  making  him  exceedingly  nervous ;  how  in  his 
excitement  he  forgot  several  lines;  how  the  prompter  (who  was 
to  have  taken  the  role  of  Ferdinand  and  who  had  been  offended 
by  the  sharp  words  of  Egmont  when  he  informed  the  latter  that 
he  would  be  unable  to  play  Ferdinand)  gave  him  the  wrong  cues, 
thus  adding  to  his  confusion.  The  form  of  Liberty  as  it  appears 
in  the  vision  was  to  hold  the  wreath  above  Egmont's  head;  in 
stead  of  following  instructions,  the  wreath  was  jammed  down 
with  considerable  force  upon  the  unfortunate  man,  and  finally  the 
Spanish  soldiers  who  appeared  refused  to  leave  the  stage  until 
the  poor  Egmont  in  desperation  signalled  for  the  curtain  to  fall. 
We  quote  the  conclusion  of  the  article : 

"Now,  friend  Germanus,  if  ever  thou  doubtest  the  Saxon 
tongue  to  be  pure  German  which  thou  seemest  not  to  understand, 
I  hope  to  have  exculpated  my  crime  in  thy  eyes  and  taught  thy 
tongue,  that  it  is  worse  to  vindicate  one's  self  on  account  of  a 
spoiled  pleasure,  without  endeavoring  before  to  know  its  causes, 
than  to  be  the  innocent  victim  of  thy  dart. 

"But,  sting,  I  feel  thee  not ;  my  mind  is  armed  with  the  con 
sciousness  of  thy  undeserved  criticisms.  But  if  thou  art  more 
generous  than  I  think,  and  will  procure  an  opportunity  to  give 
even  thy  approbation,  invite  our  countrymen,  that  I,  who  without 
means,  can  not  proceed  alone,  may  be  induced  to  prove  to  them 
that  thy  talk  rather  than  my  language  may  be  more  justly  com 
pared  with  the  language  of  an  Indian  woman. 

"Egmont's  Representative."254 

Thus  ended  the  first  attempt  to  represent  part  of  a  German 
play  in  the  original.  Concerning  The  Two  Sternbergs  no  more 
has  been  found  than  the  partial  cast  already  given. 

884  The  New  York  Morning  Courier  and  Enquirer,  July  30,  1829. 


158    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

There  is  an  unusually  large  number  of  dramas  which  are  of 
uncertain  origin  to  record.  We  mention  the  following:  The 
Dumb  Savoyard,  The  Serf,  or  The  Russian  Brothers,  The  Bottle 
Imp,  The  Greeneyed  Monsier,  The  Youthful  Queen,  Queen 
Christine  of  Sweden,  Charles  XII,  or  The  Siege  of  Stralsund, 
Peter  the  Great,  or  The  Battle  of  Pultawa. 

The  cast  of  The  Dumb  Savoyard  shows  Italian  and  German 
characters:  Pipino  (the  Dumb  Savoyard),  Marmazette  (the 
Monkey),  Count  Maldicini,  Vatchwell  (a  German  soldier, 
keeper  of  the  prison),  Sturmwald  (keeper  of  the  ferry), 
Countess  Maldicini,  Teresa  Vanepa  (Hostess  of  the  Black 
Eagle).  The  play  is  by  Thompson,255  but  the  scene  is  in  Ger 
many  in  the  region  of  the  Rhine,  for  after  the  play  failed  to  at 
tract  the  public  the  Views  of  the  Rhine  by  Walker  were  still  ad 
vertised. 

The  Serf,  or  The  Russian  Brothers,  according  to  Genest256 
was  taken  by  Talbot  from  the  German  and  adapted  to  the  English 
stage.  The  characters  are:  Ossip,  Vladimir,  Isidor,  Petrow, 
Countess  Olga  and  Madame  La  Roche.  From  what  author  in 
the  German  the  play  is  adapted,  I  have  been  unable  to  determine. 

The  Bottle  Imp  has  the  following  cast :  Albert,  Willibald, 
Nicola,  The  Imp,  and  Marcellina.  The  Greeneyed  Monster,  a 
comedy  by  Planche  shows  a  number  of  German  characters  :  Baron 
Speyenhausen,  Marcus,  Krout  (Gardener  to  the  Baron),  Col. 
Arnsdorf,  Luise,  Baroness  Speyenhausen  and  Amelia. 

Swedish  history  and  Swedish  characters  play  an  important 
role  in  the  three  last  mentioned  dramas.  The  Youthful  Queen 
has  among  its  characters  Queen  Christine,  The  Count  of  Oxen- 
stiern,  Frederick  Bury,  Steinburg  and  Emma.  The  Siege  of 
Stralsund  comes  nearer  the  German  soil  although  it  does  not 
deal  with  any  distinctly  German  theme.  In  the  play  Peter  the 
Great,  or  The  Battle  of  Pultaw-a,  Charles  XII  of  Sweden  also 
plays  a  role.  The  other  characters  are :  Peter,  Alexis,  Menzi- 
koff,  Dorinski,  Gen.  Brandt,  Swartz,  Joseph  Addelwitz,  Illo  Ad- 
dlewitz  and  Briska.257 


865  Cf.  Genest,  IX,  p.  417. 
268  Cf.  Cknest,  IX,  pp.  427-8. 
267  Genest,  IX,  p.  463. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    159 

Summary  for  the  Park  (Season  1828-1829). 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  September  3,  November  i,  1828,  Janu 
ary  3,  1829. 

The  Poachers,  September  4,  17,  October  i,  9,  November  3, 
December  8,  1828,  June  24,  July  28,  1829. 

Pizarro,  September  17,  22,  29,  October  3,  16,  December  n, 
1828,  January  7,  April  6,  May  12,  1829. 

Der  Freischutz,  October  2,  7,  21,  December  2,  19,  1828, 
March  14,  July  i,  1829. 

The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  October  4,  1828,  January  6, 
March  25,  April  2,  May  21,  June  u,  August  12,  1829. 

Oberon0  (Weber),  October  9,  u,  18,  1828. 

The  Fir  gin  of  the  Sun,  October  20,  27,  December  29,  1828, 
April  8,  May  28,  1829. 

William  Tell,  November  3,  1828,  April  16,  May  2,258  June 
25,  1829. 

Altdorf,259  January  22,  24,  1829. 

Egmont0  (5th  Act  in  German),  July  18,  1829. 

The  Robbers,  August  4,  1829. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  West  Indian,  September  2,  1828. 

Giovanni  in  London,  October  4,  December  6,  1828,  March 
10,  1829. 

The  Gambler  s  Fate,  October  14,  November  6,  1828. 

The  Dumb  Savoyard,0  November  4,  7,  8,  10,  12,  13,  14, 
17,  18,  22,  25,  29,  December  3,  12,  25,  30,  1828,  January  i,  9, 
21,  February  10,  March  13,  April  n,  17,  18,  July  8,  31,  1829. 

The  Serf,  or  The  Russian  Brothers0  (German?),  Novem 
ber  7,  1828. 

The  Bottle  Imp0  (  ?),  November  25,  27,  December  2,  n,  12, 
20,  27,  1828,  February  12,  14,  April  27,  June  23,  July  9,  1829. 

77^  Blind  Boy  (Hewetson),  December  24,  1828. 

The  Flying  Dutchman,  December  16,  19,  1828,  February 
23,  1829. 

**  Tell  was  played  by  "a  young  gentleman,  a  seaman,  who  made  his  debut 
in  the  same  character  a  few  weeks  since  at  the  Walnut  Street  Theatre  in 
Philadelphia." 

259  Written  by  Fanny  Wright.    Cf.  pp.  89,  9A  91  of  this  paper. 


ij6o    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

The  Siege  of  Belgrade,  December  24,  1828,  June  13,  1829. 

Columbus,  December  25,  1828. 

The  Greeneycd  Monster,0  February  14,  17,  19,  26,  28, 
March  7,  10,  17,  21,  28,  April  24,  June  18,  August  4,  1829. 

The  Youthful  Queen,  or  Christine  of  Szveden0  (?),  Febru 
ary  19,  21,  March  7,  18,  1829. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  February  21,  1829. 

Charles  XII,  or  77i£  ^SY^  0/  Stralsund,  March  9,  12,  13, 
17,  21,  26,  April  7,  25,  30,  June  4,  n,  July  29,  August  6,  1829. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  April  16,  June  30,  1829. 

Adelmorn,  April  21,  1829. 

P^ter  f/i*  Gr^a^  or  The  Battle  of  Pultawa,0  April  24,  May 
5,  16,  June  2,  1829. 

77z£  Point  of  Honor,  June  3,  1829. 

Don  Giovanni,  or  77i<?  Spectre  on  Horseback,  July  3,  n,  15, 
23,  1829. 

The  Two  Sternbergs0  (?),  July  18,  1829. 

The  German  plays  given  during  the  season  number  eleven 
in  fifty  performances.260 

The  Chatham  Theatre  and  The  American  Opera  House. 
(Season  1828-1829.) 

At  the  Chatham  there  are  no  German  plays  to  record  and 
comparatively  few'  at  the  American  Opera  House.  Of  Age  To 
morrow,  Pizarro,  Fraternal  Discord  and  Tell  complete  the  list. 
No  new  German  plays  appeared. 

Among  the  uncertain  plays  is  The  Death  Fetch,  or  The  Stu 
dent  of  Gottingen,  which  from  its  title  deserves  our  notice.  The 
scene  is  in  Germany  and  the  characters  are  ostensibly  German  al 
though  the  play  has  been  taken  from  the  Irish  writer  Banim,261 
who  in  his  "O'Hara  Tales"  has  furnished  the  basis  for  the  play. 
The  Morning  Courier  and  Enquirer  gives  the  plot  in  detail : 

"The  Death  Fetch — An  operatic  Romance,  bearing  this  title 
was  first  produced  Tuesday  evening.  For  a  description  of  the 


360  Includes  the  performances  of  Egmont  and  Altdorf. 

261  John  Banim  (1798-1842)  published  "The  O'Hara  Tales"  in  1825.     The 
second  of  these  is  entitled  "The  Fetches". 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    161 

plot  and  incidents  perhaps  we  cannot  do  better  than  copy  the 
London  Courier  the  day  after  its  first  performance  at  the  Eng 
lish  Opera  House. 

"The  story  is  founded  on  a  popular  German  superstition 
and  the  arrangement  and  management  of  it  for  dramatic  pur 
poses,  are  taken  almost  entirely  from  the  'Tales  of  the  O'Hara 
Family'.  The  superstition  that  the  deaths  of  individuals  are 
foretold  by  the  appearance  of  forms  resembling  theirs,  is  of  so 
great  antiquity,  and  there  is  not  a  reader  of  Ghostly  Lore,  who 
will  not  readily  point  out  a  variety  of  marvellous  stories  founded 
on  it.  ... 

"The  Death  Fetch  is  a  solitary  and  silent  sort  of  visitor, 
associated  only  with  the  thoughts  of  Death,  without  any  of  the 
inspirating  accompaniments  of  deviltry  or  violence.  The  Opera 
begins  with  the  arrival  of  Ludolph,  the  suitor  of  Matilda  Rothe ; 
we  learn  from  his  conversation  with  Matilda  that  her  sister,  Lou 
isa,  is  receiving  the  addresses  of  Ebert — and  that  he  is  turning 
her  brain  with  stories  and  hobgoblins  and  dissertations  on  meta 
physics. 

"Ebert  and  Louisa  now  make  their  appearance  and  their 
conversation  turns  upon  the  appearance  of  the  Death  Fetch.  In 
another  scene,  Matilda  and  Louisa  are  waiting  in  the  evening  for 
Ebert.  After  a  long  delay,  he  or  something  bearing  his  resem 
blance,  enters  the  room  and  seats  himself  or  itself  upon  the  sofa 
by  Louisa.  Offended  by  Ebert's  supposed  neglect — she  at  first 
takes  no  notice,  but  Matilda  after  speaking  and  receiving  no 
answer,  retires  in  alarm.  Louisa  now  begins  to  feel  the  influ 
ence  of  terror,  she  listens  and  cannot  hear  the  figure  breathe; 
at  length  it  rises,  moves  to  the  back  of  the  room  and  disappears. 
Thus  ends  the  first  Act. 

"2nd  Act.  Ebert  apologizes  for  his  conduct  on  the  preced 
ing  night ;  and  as  his  apology  which  is  meant  for  his  absence,  is 
in  general  terms,  it  is  supposed  to  apply  to  his  abrupt  entrance 
and  departure — and  the  mystery  appears  to  be  explained.  He  is 
afterward  confined  to  his  room  by  sickness ;  the  figure  of  Louisa 
appears  to  him  at  the  window;  he  rushes  forth  into  the  garden 
of  the  College,  sees  the  figure  near  a  statue  and  falls  down  ex- 


1 62    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

hausted  at  the  base  of  it.  Louisa  with  Ludolph  and  Matilda  is 
in  the  meanwhile  waiting  for  his  arrival — for  a  long  time  he 
comes  not,  but  at  length  appears  in  the  gateway;  Ludolph  goes 
forth  after  him,  and  on  getting  into  the  open  air,  sees  the  forms 
of  Louisa  and  Ebert  at  a  distance  and  hears  a  chorus  of  spirits. 

"Act.  3.  Louisa  proves  somewhat  disordered  in  her  wits, — 
and  Ebert  is  still  in  a  state  of  sickness ;  in  order  to  cure  both  of 
them  Doctor  Von  Sassan  prescribes  that  the  lady  shall  be  told  that 
all  the  visits  have  been  real  and  substantial,  that  her  lover  has 
gone  off  to  Italy  and  that  Ebert  shall  be  informed  that  Louisa 
and  her  family  are  displeased  with  his  conduct,  and  that  he  must 
for  a  time  abstain  from  visiting  them.  Von  Sassan  then  recom 
mends  a  trip  to  the  Hartz  Mountains  and  sets  out  with  Ebert. 

"Louisa  unluckily  sees  them  on  their  way  and  contrives  to 
get  into  a  carriage  and  follows  them.  Then  she  and  Ebert  meet ; 
at  first  each  believes  the  other  a  spirit.  When  this  delusion  has 
been  removed,  they  compare  their  recollections  of  what  had 
passed,  are  convinced  of  the  intervention  of  supernatural  agency 
and  expire  on  the  spot. 

"The  Death  Fetch  and  its  performance  were  completely  suc 
cessful  and  will  no  doubt  'fetch'  lots  of  money  to  the  manager's 
coffers."262 

Thus  the  New  York  public  was  again  thrilled  by  the  mysteries 
of  German  superstition,  for  the  play  in  its  setting  could  not  fail 
to  impress  the  playgoer  as  an  essentially  German  drama. 

Summary. 

Of  Age  Tomorrow,  May  21,  1829. 
Pizarro,  May  27,  August  4,  1829. 
Fraternal  Discord,  June  6,  1829. 
William  Tell,  July  18,  1829. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Two  Pages  of  Frederick  the  Great,  August  4,  October  2, 
1828. 

Tekili,  May  22,  1829. 


™  Morning  Courier  and  Enquirer,  June  12,  1829.    Cf.  also  the  New  York 
Mirror  and  Ladies'  Literary  Gazette,  VI,  p.  398. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    163 

The  Blind  Boy  (  ?),  May  23,  1829. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  June  i,  1829. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  June  2,  1829. 

Matrimony,  June  3,  19,  July  20,  1829. 

The  Death  Fetch,0  June  9,  n,  13,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  23, 
24,  1829. 

The  summary  shows  but  five  German  plays  in  five  perform 
ances. 

The  Lafayette. 

The  season  at  the  Lafayette  was  cut  short  by  fire  in  the 
night  of  April  10,  1811;  a  greater  variety  of  plays  was  pre 
sented  and  more  performances  are  recorded  than  for  the  Ameri 
can  Opera  House.  There  are  no  new  plays  put  on;  in  general 
Kotzebue  seems  to  be  the  favorite  with  four  dramas  of  the  six 
given. 

Summary  (Season  1828-1829). 

William  Tell,  August  18,  20,  1828,  January  14,  February 
19,  1829. 

The  Robbers,  August  22,  1828,  January  8,  February  2, 
1829. 

La  Perouse,  January  14,  21,  31,  1829. 

Pizarro,  February  9,263  13,  1829. 

The  Birthday,  February  26,  1829. 

The  Stranger,  March  14,  April  io,264  1829. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Matrimony,  August  n,  September  18,  1828. 

The  Innkeeper's  Daughter,  August  12,  15,  1828. 

Adeline,  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction,  December  27,  1828, 
January  17,  1829. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  January  6,  1829. 

The  Floating  Beacon,  January  7,  22,  1829. 

Tekili,  January  12,  February  4,  1829. 

Ella  Rosenberg,  February  23,  1829. 

For  the  night  of  January  14  two  German  plays  made  up  the 
program :  Tell  and  La  Perouse,  which  in  the  form  of  an  after- 

283 Cast:  Rolla,  Mr.  Duffy;  Elvira,  Miss  Emery. 
264  The  last  performance  in  this  theatre. 


164    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

piece  was  produced  every  year  at  the  Lafayette.     The  summary 
shows  six  German  plays  in  fifteen  performances. 

The  Bowery   (Season  1828-1829). 

Forrest  and  Wallack  were  the  attractions  at  this  strong 
theatre  at  the  beginning  of  the  season.  Indeed,  the  patrons  of 
the  playhouse  were  given  the  rare  treat  of  seeing  these  two  stars 
play  in  the  same  piece :  Pizarro.  Wallack  did  not,  as  usual,  take 
the  role  of  Rolla;  he  impersonated  Pizarro  while  Forrest  played 
the  more  grateful  role.  Such  performances  are  recorded  for  Sep 
tember  27  and  December  3,  1828. 

One  new  German  play  is  recorded  at  this  theatre  during  the 
season :  The  Roebuck,  Guilty  or  Not  Guilty.  It  is  perhaps  the  last 
of  the  Kotzebue  pieces  to  be  presented  on  the  New  York  stage. 
Nothing  more  than  the  simple  announcement :  "A  new  Comedy 
from  the  German  of  Kotzebue  is  announced  for  to-night.  It  is 
highly  spoken  of  and  the  cast  embraces  much  of  the  talent  of  the 
company."265 

The  cast  was:  Lord  Melford,  Mr.  Barrett;  Giles  Grizzle, 
Mr.  Chapman;  Lady  Melford,  Mrs.  Hughes;  Lady  Linton,  Mrs. 
Barrett;  Nannette,  Miss  Fisher. 

Among  the  new  titles  of  uncertain  plays  we  note :  The  Two 
Peters,  a  play  which  we  have  already  discussed  under  the  name 
'Twould  Puzzle  a  Conjurer;2™  The  King  and  the  Deserter,  with 
the  following  cast:  Frederick  the  Great,  Adelbert,  Moroscus, 
Rosalie  and  Martha.  It  is  very  likely  the  dramatization  of  an 
anecdote  concerning  Frederick  the  Great.  Another  play  which 
remains  in  the  dark  is  entitled  Inchcape  Bell  (sometimes  Inchape 
Bell) ;  beyond  the  title  no  information  seems  available.  The 
Death  Fetch267  is  put  on  only  once;  its  cast  seems  to  differ  from 
the  play  which  at  the  same  time  was  being  given  at  the  Chatham. 
Two  characters,  Aldibert  and  Stella,  are  mentioned  in  the  an 
nouncement.268 


065  From  the  New  York  Morning  Courier  and  Enquirer,  March  16,  1829. 
Cf.  "The  Poachers,"  p.  145. 
288  Cf.  p.  126  of  this  paper. 
387  Cf.  p.  i6iff  of  this  paper. 
288  New  York  Evening  Post,  June  16,  1829. 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    165 

Summary  (Season  1828-1829). 

William  Tell,  August  25  (Forrest),  September  5,  October 
10,  November  19,  1828,  June  17,  July  6,  1829. 

Pizarro,  September  27,  October  7,  November  24,  December 
3,  1828,  March  9,  July  15,  1829. 

Don  Giovanni,  September  30,  October  8,  1828. 

The  Roebuck,  or  Guilty  or  Not  Guilty,0  March  16,  18,  19, 
20,  21,  26,  28,  June  22,  1829. 

The  Robbers,  July  i,  i829.269 

Uncertain  Plays. 

The  West  Indian,  September  2,  October  23,  1828,  March 
28,  1829. 

The  Devil's  Bridge,  October  18,  1828. 

The  Gambler's  Fate,  October  20,  30,  November  i,  14,  De 
cember  12,  13,  1828,  March  28,  June  19,  1829. 

The  Two  Peters,  November  13,  14,  19,  20,  22,  December 
24,  1828. 

Matrimony,  December  5,  1828. 

The  King  and  the  Deserter,0  December  18,  20,  22,  23,  25, 
30,  1828,  February  21,  March  4,  10,  14,  28,  April  18,  1829. 

Inchcape  Bell0  (?),  December  25,  27,  1828,  January  i,  6, 
March  2,  1829. 

The  Death  Fetch0  June  16,  1829. 

Valentine  and  Orson,  July  7,  27,  1829. 

Kotzebue's  Roebuck  proves  to  be  the  most  popular  of  the 
German  plays  for  the  season;  it  had  eight  performances,  while 
Pizarro  and  Tell  with  the  great  actors  Forrest  and  Wallack  each 
have  six  performances.  The  total  number  of  plays  noted  is  five; 
the  number  of  performances  twenty-three. 

The  amusement  places  of  less  importance  have  not  been 
mentioned  in  the  discussion  of  the  season.  At  the  Sans  Souci 
Theatre  Of  Age  Tomorrow  was  put  on  once  (August  6,  1829)  ; 


**  The  cast  was :  Charles  de  Moor,  Scott ;  Frances  de  Moor,  Southwell ; 
Spiegelberg,  Roberts;  Switzer,  Bernard;  Roller,  Walton;  Amelia,  Mrs. 
Hughes. 


1 66    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830 

at  the  Vauxhall  the  same  comedy  was  given  August  18;  at  the 
Mt.  Pitt  Circus  Adeline^  or  The  Victim  of  Seduction  is  put  on 
September  4,  1829. 

Summary  for  the  Entire  Season. 

Park  Theatre,  n  German  plays  in  50  performances. 

Chatham  (American  Opera  House), 

4  German  plays  in     5  performances. 

The  Lafayette,  6  German  plays  in  15  performances. 

The  Bowery,  5  German  plays  in  23  performances. 

Sans  Souci,  i  German  play    in     i  performance. 

Vauxhall,  i  German  play    in     i  performance. 

In  the  ninety-five  German  performances  for  the  season  the 
following  plays  appeared:  Of  Age  Tomorrow,  The  Poachers, 
Pizarro,  Der  Freischutz,  The  Marriage  of  Figaro,  Oberon 
(Weber),  The  Virgin  of  the  Sun,  William  Tell,  Altdorf,  Eg- 
mont,  The  Robbers,  Fraternal  Discord^  Don  Giovanni,  The  Roe 
buck,  La  Perouse,  The  Birthday,  The  Stranger. 

Of  the  seventeen  plays  presented  nine  are  Kotzebue  plays. 
Tell  and  Pizarro  seem  to  be  equally  popular,  for  they  are  given 
at  the  four  leading  theatres  with  much  regularity.  The  Robbers 
is  the  only  drama  which  competes  with  the  Kotzebue  plays  in 
holding  its  place  on  the  lists  for  a  series  of  years. 

The  Season  of  1829-1830,  up  to  January  i,  1830. 

The  Park  Theatre  opened  its  doors  for  the  new  season  Sep 
tember  2,  1830.  The  Lafayette  was  no  longer  a  rival.  The 
Chatham  opened  late  and  was  given  over  to  entertainments  of 
low  class;  and  the  Bowery  had  been  leased  by  the  managers  of 
the  Park.  Thus  the  Park  was  the  sole  master  of  the  field  for  a 
time  and  as  at  the  beginning  of  this  paper  so  at  the  close  there  is 
but  one  theatre  that  occupies  our  attention. 

Early  in  the  season  a  new  play  based  on  a  German  original 
and  to  all  intents  a  German  play  appears.  The  title  is :  The  Dev 
il's  Elixir,  or  The  Shadozvless  Man.  So  far  as  I  am  able  to 
find,  no  one  has  determined  the  source  of  this  play.  It  is  doubt 
less  a  dramatization  of  the  thrilling  tale  of  E.  T.  A.  Hoffmann, 


German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  to  1830    167 

"Die  Elixire  des  Teufels"  (1815-1816).  The  general  plot  cor 
responds  as  well  as  the  characters  to  that  of  Hoffmann's  story. 

The  characters  of  the  play  are:  Francesco  (a  Capuchin), 
Nicholas  (Bell-toller),  Count  Hermogen,  Gortsburg  (the  Demon 
of  the  Elixir),  Prior  of  the  Monastery,  Aurelia  and  Urika.270 
Hermogen  and  Aurelia  are  betrothed.  Francesco  is  secretly  in 
love  with  Aurelia.  The  nature  of  the  Elixir  is  that  the  person 
who  drinks  of  it  may  assume  the  shape  of  his  rival — but  with 
this  distinction — that  he  can  have  no  shadow.  Francesco  drinks 
some  of  the  Elixir  and  is  transformed  into  the  appearance  of 
Hermogen.  Nicholas,  Aurelia  and  the  others  believe  Francesco 
to  be  Hermogen.  Hermogen  enters — Aurelia  is  puzzled.  Nich 
olas  determines  to  bring  the  matter  to  a  test.  Hermogen  passes 
a  lamp — there  is  a  shadow ;  Francesco  passes  the  lamp — there  is 
no  shadow. 

Francesco  is  put  in  prison;  he  then  makes  a  compact  with 
Gortzburg.  Gortzburg  transports  Hermogen  and  Nicholas  to 
prison  and  places  Francesco  on  the  couch  on  which  Hermogen 
had  been  lying.  In  the  last  scene  Francesco  and  Aurelia  are  on 
the  point  of  being  married.  The  Prior  condemns  Hermogen  to 
death,  but  Francesco  is  seized  by  remorse  and  resigns  Aurelia. 
He  takes  refuge  in  St.  Anthony's  cell,  whither  Gortzburg  at 
tempts  to  follow  him,  but  at  the  entrance  he  is  stricken  by  a 
thunderbolt. 

The  arrangement  is  by  Fitz-Ball.271 

One  new  uncertain  play  appears :  The  Mountain  Robber, 
but  no  cast  is  available.  The  drama  entitled  Sisters  of  Chanty 
with  the  following  cast:  St.  Ursula,  Col.  Saxe,  Capt.  Weimar, 
Joseph  and  Paulo,  may  also  be  added  to  the  list. 

The  Tell  of  Forrest  (played  November  24,  1829)  "drew 
together  a  very  numerous  auditory  on  Tuesday  evening  and  the 
reappearance  of  that  excellent  tragedian  was  welcomed  with 
warm  applause"  reports  the  Evening  Post  of  November  26,  1829. 
In  the  only  performance  of  Pizarro  which  we  note,  Forrest  acted 
the  part  of  Rolla. 


270  Cf.  Genest,  IX,  p.  482. 
mCf.  Genest,  IX,  p. 


p68    German  Drama  in  English  on  New  York  Stage  n/  1830 

Summary. 

Don  Giovanni,  September  8,  1829. 
The  Stranger,  September  15,  1829. 
Der  Freischutz,  October  21,  1829. 
William  Tell}  November  24,  1829. 

The  Devil's  Elixir,  or  The  Shadowiest  Man,0  November 
25,  December  i,  1829. 

Pizarro,  November  28,  1829. 

Uncertain  Plays. 

Charles  XII,  or  The  Siege  of  Stralsund,  September  5,  De 
cember  1 6,  1829. 

The  Gambler's  Fate,  September  14,  November  4,  1829. 

The  West  Indian,  September  21,  1829. 

The  Wandering  Boys,  October  13,  1829. 

The  Greeneyed  Monster,  October  19,  1829. 

Sisters  of  Charity0  ( ?),  November  13,  1829. 

The  Mountain  Robber0  (?),  December  7,  1829. 

With  the  statistics  of  this  part  of  the  season  of  1829-1830 
our  paper  closes;  there  are  no  doubt  new  and  interesting  things 
in  the  years  that  follow  until  the  first  strivings  for  a  German  the 
atre  are  seen.  No  season  will  be  found,  however,  that  will 
eclipse  the  wonderful  years  of  1800,  1801  and  1802,  when  the 
American  theatre-going  public  knew  far  more  about  Kotzebue 
than  the  cultivated  native  German  of  today. 

This  period  of  Kotzebue  dramas  must  have  been  of  im 
mense  importance  in  the  formation  of  the  public  taste.  And 
the  fact  that  some  of  his  plays  remained  on  the  American  stage 
until  1860  and  later  shows  how  strong  an  appeal  he  made  to 
the  American  public. 

It  has  not  been  the  purpose  of  this  paper  to  determine  the 
influence  of  the  German  drama  on  the  early  American  drama; 
that  must  be  a  special  study  based  on  much  of  the  material 
presented  in  these  pages.  We  have  tried  to  give  a  picture  of  the 
stage  conditions,  the  number  and  character  of  the  German  plays 
which  were  performed  and  this  information  will  guide  the 
student  of  the  American  drama  in  his  investigations  of  German 
influence  in  this  field. 


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Anders  Seipt,   Ph.  D.     112  pp.     Price $2.00 

8.  The  Settlement  of  the  German  Coast  of  Louisiana  and  the  Creoles  of  Ger 

man  Descent.     By  J.  Hanno  Deiler.     With  Illustrations.     136  pp.     Price.  .     $1.25 

9.  Early   German  Music  in   Philadelphia.      By   R.   R.    Drummond,   Ph.   D.      112 

pp.       Price ?l-25 

10  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin''  in  Germany.     By  Grace  Edith  MacLean,   Ph.   D.      102 

pp.      Price ! $1.50 

11.  The  Germans  in  Texas.     A  Study  in  Immigration.     By  Gilbert  Giddings  Ben 

jamin,  Ph.  D.     161  pp.     3   Illustrations.     Price $1.50 

12.  The     American     Ethnographical     Survsy.      Conestoga     Expedition.      M.     D. 

Learned,    Director.      Price $2.00 

13.  Swedish  Settlements  on  the  Delaware,  1$38-166$.    With  6  Maps  and  150  Illus 

trations  and  Photographic  Reproductions.     By  Amandus  Johnson,  Ph.  D. 

Two  volumes.      908   pp. .    Price $10.00 

14.  National  Unity  in  the  German  Novel  Before  1810.     By  Roy  H.  Perring,  Ph.  D. 

75    pp.     Price $1.25 

15.  Journal  of  Du  Roi  the  Elder,  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  in  the  Service  of  the 

Duke    of    Brunswick,     1776-1778.     Translated  by  Charlotte   S.  J.   Epping. 

189    pp.     Price $1.50 

16.  The  Life  and  Works  of  Friedrich  Armand  Strubberg.     By  Preston  A.  Barba, 

Ph.  D.     151   pp.      4   Illustrations.      Price $2.00 

17.  Baldwin  Mollhausen,  the  German  Cooper.     By  Preston  A.  Barba,  Ph.  D.     188 

pp.      4   Illustrations.      Price $2.00 

18.  Beliefs  and  Superstitions  of  the  Pennsylvania  Germans.     By  Edwin  M.  Fogel, 

Ph.  D.     386  pp.     Price $3.50 

19.  Dickens'  Einfluss  anif  Ungcrn-Sternberg,  Hcsslein,  Stolle,  Raabe  und  Ebner- 

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20.  Whittier's  Relation  to   German  Life   and  Thought.     By  lola  Kay  Eastburn, 

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21.  Benjamin  Franklin  and  Germany.     By  Beatrice  Marguerite  Victory,  Ph.  D 

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22.  Die  Deutschamerikanische  Patriotische  Lyrik  der  Achtundvierziger  und  Ihre 

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23.  Heine  in  America.     By  H.  B.  Sachs,  Ph.  D.     193  pp.     Price $2.00 

24.  Socialism  in  German  American  Literature.     By  William  Frederic  Kamman 

Ph.  D.      1—  pp.     Price .  '    $1>50 

25.  Robert  Reitzel.     By  Adolf  E.  Zucker,  Ph.  D.     74  pp.     Price $1.25 

26.  The  German  Element  in  Brazil.    Colonies  and  Dialect.     By  Benjamin  Frank 

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27.  Hume's  Seininarium   and  the   Society  for   the  Propagation   of   Christianity     \ 

and  Useful  Knowledge  Among  the  Germans  in  America.  Illustrated    By  C 

F.  Haussmann,  Ph.  D.     Price .'    $2.00 

28.  Young's  Conjectures  on  Original  Composition  in  England  and  America      By) 

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29.  The  Syntax  of  Brant's  Narrenschiff.     By  Henry  Dexter  Learned,  Ph.  D.     53 

pp..    Price    $1.50 

30.  The  Approach  of  Academic  to  Spoken  Style  in  German.     A  Study  in  Popular 

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45   pp.     Price    $1.25 

31    The   German  Drama  in  English  on  the  New  York  Stage  to  1830.     By  Louis 

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